Search the site...

SOL DE MEDIANOCHE
  • MARCH 2023
  • FEBRUARY 2023
  • JANUARY 2023
  • DECEMBER 2022
  • NOVEMBER 2022
  • OCTOBER 2022
  • SEPTEMBER 2022
  • AUGUST 2022
  • JULY 2022
  • JUNE 2022
  • MAY 2022
  • APRIL 2022
  • MARCH 2022
  • FEBRUARY 2022
  • JANUARY 2022
  • DECEMBER 2021
  • NOVEMBER 2021
  • OCTOBER 2021
  • SEPTEMBER 2021
  • AUGUST 2021
  • JULY 2021
  • JUNE 2021
  • MAY 2021
  • APRIL 2021
  • MARCH 2021
  • FEBRUARY 2021
  • JANUARY 2021
  • DECEMBER 2020
  • NOVEMBER 2020
  • Advertise with us!
  • OCTOBER 2020
  • SEPTEMBER 2020
  • AUGUST 2020
  • JULY 2020
  • JUNE 2020
  • MAY 2020
  • MAR - APR 2020
  • JAN - FEB 2020
  • NOVEMBER 2019
  • SEPTEMBER 2019
  • JULY 2019
  • MAY 2019
  • MARCH 2019
  • FEBRUARY 2019
  • NOVEMBER 2018
  • SEPTEMBER 2018
    • Yes on Salmon
    • Become a citizen
  • JUNE 2018
  • APRIL 2018
  • FEBRUARY 2018
  • DECEMBER 2017
  • SEPTEMBER 2017
  • JULY 2017
  • MAY 2017
  • Spring 2017 - No. 5
  • Winter 2016 - No. 4
  • Fall 2016 - No. 3
  • Summer 2016 - No. 2
  • Spring 2016 - No. 1
  • Contact
  • MARCH 2023
  • FEBRUARY 2023
  • JANUARY 2023
  • DECEMBER 2022
  • NOVEMBER 2022
  • OCTOBER 2022
  • SEPTEMBER 2022
  • AUGUST 2022
  • JULY 2022
  • JUNE 2022
  • MAY 2022
  • APRIL 2022
  • MARCH 2022
  • FEBRUARY 2022
  • JANUARY 2022
  • DECEMBER 2021
  • NOVEMBER 2021
  • OCTOBER 2021
  • SEPTEMBER 2021
  • AUGUST 2021
  • JULY 2021
  • JUNE 2021
  • MAY 2021
  • APRIL 2021
  • MARCH 2021
  • FEBRUARY 2021
  • JANUARY 2021
  • DECEMBER 2020
  • NOVEMBER 2020
  • Advertise with us!
  • OCTOBER 2020
  • SEPTEMBER 2020
  • AUGUST 2020
  • JULY 2020
  • JUNE 2020
  • MAY 2020
  • MAR - APR 2020
  • JAN - FEB 2020
  • NOVEMBER 2019
  • SEPTEMBER 2019
  • JULY 2019
  • MAY 2019
  • MARCH 2019
  • FEBRUARY 2019
  • NOVEMBER 2018
  • SEPTEMBER 2018
    • Yes on Salmon
    • Become a citizen
  • JUNE 2018
  • APRIL 2018
  • FEBRUARY 2018
  • DECEMBER 2017
  • SEPTEMBER 2017
  • JULY 2017
  • MAY 2017
  • Spring 2017 - No. 5
  • Winter 2016 - No. 4
  • Fall 2016 - No. 3
  • Summer 2016 - No. 2
  • Spring 2016 - No. 1
  • Contact

dAY OF THE DEAD

Let’s celebrate our faithful departed

​BY isabelle mercado

Picture

With the firm aim of reinforcing Hispanic identity and traditions, the Day of the Dead, a tradition declared in 2003 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has been celebrated in in Anchorage, Alaska, since 2004.

This year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, activities that involve large crowds, dance performances or live music, or sharing traditional food such as Bread of the Dead and hot chocolate, will not be possible. However, in order to still observe a tradition with such deep roots among the Latino population, activities that include a procession, art displays, and more will be carried out.

Indra Arriaga Delgado, originally from Veracruz, Mexico and based in Anchorage, is one of the funding members of the community-level festivities “It all started with a small altar, thanks to this more people from the community joined in and thus we became connected and started creating community “, said the artist, who has lived in Alaska for the past 17 years.
The 16th Anniversary of Day of the Dead in Anchorage will be held on November 1st and 2nd. On November 1st, archeologist Lorena Medina Martinez will give a lecture about the historical and cultural aspect of the celebration at 2pm via Zoom. The altars display will be open from 4 to 6 pm for people that are in the pandemic high-risk category.

On November 2nd, a procession will start at the lawn of the Anchorage Museum at 5 pm walking towards Townsquare next to the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts (PAC). Currently, artist Macuca Cuca guides several community members working on more than 10 skulls made of traditional Mexican cartonería (the art of making 3 dimensional sculptures with papier-mâché) and will be part of the procession on November 2nd. All with iconographic origin to the distinctive elements of the tradition of the Day of the Dead as we know it.

The lobby at the PAC will be set up with the altars, which will include typical things like tissue paper with cut out shapes, Day of the Dead bread, traditional food and lots of color. All activities will be carried out with the relevant health measures and the departure and entry of people into enclosed spaces will be regulated. The celebration on the 2nd will end at 8 pm.

The expressive richness of one of the most entrenched traditions is also an opportunity to continue to strengthen the unity of the Latino community. “This year the pandemic complicated things, but it is these challenges that also make us grow and adapt, something immigrants are expert at, it brings us closer together within our own community, because people from other countries and ethnicities unite,” said Indra.

Currently, 8 percent of the population in Alaska identify as Latino, and about 27,000 live in Anchorage. Therefore, commemorating Day of the Dead reinforces the Latino community’s identity and collective memory.
​
Within the framework of this festival, we invite the community to install their altars at home, take photographs to be included in the altar exhibition, and share them with the general population.  ​

PROUDLY POWERED BY SOL DE MEDIANOCHE NEWS, LLC.
Sol de Medianoche is a monthly publication of the Latino community in Anchorage, Alaska