Left: An ofrenda (altar) at last year's Celebraciones de la Gente, photo by Michele Mountain/MNA
Right: Ballet Folklorico de Colores, photo by Michele Mountain/MNA

Sedona, AZ: Community, migration, immigration, song, and dance are highlighted this year at the Museum of Northern Arizona's 4th Annual Celebraciones de la Gente in Flagstaff.
At this Day of the Dead celebration on Saturday and Sunday, October 27 and 28, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Aztec fire dancers, a portrayal of Pancho Villa, and a documentary about the Minutemen on the border appear, along with a courtyard full of ofrendas (altars) and the vibrant creativity of Hispanic arts and crafts. The festival's insightful programming, music, dances, and food are produced in partnership with Nuestras Raices (Our Roots), Flagstaff's Hispanic pioneer families from the 1800s.

"For Flagstaff's Day of the Dead celebration, the Museum presents a weekend that represents the texture and substance of our region's Hispanic people. The color and excitement of this celebration will lift our spirits, while the authentic cultural traditions and the voices of knowledgeable educators will give us a new way to look at today's issues and views," said MNA Director Dr. Robert Breunig.

Heritage Program Coordinator Anne Doyle added, "Day of the Dead is unique, in that it encourages us to examine the universal experiences of life and death within the context of family and community."

Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead

Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican tradition dating before the influence of the Spanish and combining Aztec and Roman Catholic practices and beliefs. Time is set aside to pay homage to loved ones and to remember the duality of life and death, with flowers, candles, altars, and celebration.

Nuestras Raices Vice Chair Delia Muñoz adds, "This celebration is a means of bringing the community together to experience the tradition and culture surrounding Day of the Dead. We hope everyone will embrace the excitement of the festival and leave with something special in their hearts."

Traditions in the Courtyard

In the Museum's Jaime Major Golightly Historic Courtyard, Flagstaff's Hispanic community will build family altars containing water, salt, copal, candles, and yellow marigolds. Pan de los muertos or bread of the dead is offered, along with sugar skulls representing the sweetness of life in the sugar and the sadness of death in the skull. Also, members of Nuestras Raices will demonstrate tortilla and tamale making.

From 1:30–2:30 p.m., César Mazier will perform Latin American songs in Spanish, with an emphasis on boleros. A sense of love and romance characterize the bolero.

On Sunday only, Los Compadres, a local community conjunto or small group, will play familiar Mexican root music at noon. This band has been playing together for 30 years in Flagstaff. Herman Ulibarri, owner of the Ulibarri Barbershop, plays lead guitar; Frank Martinez plays trumpet and was part of Los Rivales, a well known band from years past; and guitarist Manny Ulibarri and rhythm guitarist Jesse Rodriguez sing old favorite songs with bass guitarist Trini Logan.