Dia de los muertos/Day of the Dead

after a two year hiatus, i had the pleasure of setting up the "Dia de los muertos" altar at work. this centuries old tradition has seen many modifications since the Spanish conquest of Mexico and the introduction of Catholicism. the celebration of the dead is not a sad or morbid or scary experience but rather a comforting reminder of those loved ones who have passed before us as well reminding the living that death is not the end but another part of the cycle of life. the maya and aztec peoples celebrated for a whole month, usually in august after the harvest. it was time to tend to the tombs and graves of family and friends, to offer food and drink, and await the coming of the spirits during a night-long festival. after the introduction of christianity, the celebration was moved to coincide with all souls' day, november 2nd.

see link above, next to "photo" to view pictures of the altar

Happy Halloween

a fat little pumpkin
sitting in a pumpkin patch
"not me, you can't catch"
he rolled and he rolled and
he rolled down the hill
until the skinny witch caught him
and cried
"don't you roll around.
its halloween
-we'll spook the town!"
and onto her broom
along with her cat,
they flew through the night,
scaring this town and that
and when the stars were all fading
and the morning was nigh
the fat little pumpkin
was left in his patch;
with a gleam in his eye
and the sun shining high.

liz

photo credit:
Pumpkin PAtch by ~AdoC
Digital Art / Paintings & Airbrushing / Surreal ©2007-2010 ~AdoC