Olvera Street Dia de los muertos event

I attended the Olvera Street dia de los muertos event on Saturday November 1. I arrived at 7 pm right when the strolling mariachi band together with people commemorating those who have past away marched in a line dressed as brides with their face painted as skeleton. I had never before attended an event of el dia de los muertos. I am more familiar with the tradition of lighting a white candle at home for our loses as well as visiting the cemetery where they are buried to take them flowers and reunite with the family and talk about the wonderful memories they left behind.  By attending this event, I was exposed to a whole different tradition in celebrating el dia de los muertos. The majority of the folks that attended were Latinos and celebrated by painting their faces and dressing up as brides and grooms and as Aztecs. I was amazed on how people were able to march and perform an Aztec dance while carrying heavy headpieces of what appeared to be feathers and skulls on top of their heads. Something that really caught my attention once the parade started was when I was able to smell a strong scent that I had never smelled before but that I enjoyed smelling because it combined well with the parade that was taking place. The smell made me feel as if I was taken into another world in where I was reunited with those who had past away. I know that might sound crazy, but I was just happy to be at a place where I was learning new traditions of the Hispanic community and I say Hispanic because I did notice that there were people from other countries such as Central America that attended. I also noticed that there was some type of limpia tradition going on, in where people were forming a line and taking turns in walking to the center of two ladies that would tap them all over their bodies with green branches and surrounded them with scented smoke. It was nice to see how people dressed with a cap and gown, holding a diploma in their hands. I saw a couple in where the woman was carrying a skeleton baby in her hands. It was interesting to see that every individual represented someone who those watching can remember their love ones through that individual. Overall, this was a great experience for me. I surely will be attending next year.

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