In conjunction with the Day of the Dead celebration (October 31 to November 2, 2010), a vibrant exhibit entitled "Day of the Dead: All Souls Day" is currently on display for a limited time in the first-floor lobby of the TWU Blagg-Huey Library. Kimberly Johnson, Coordinator of Special Collections, is curator of the exhibit.
The origins of the Day of the Dead celebration date back thousands of years to an Aztec festival dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl. Despite its proximity on the calendar to Halloween, the two holidays actually have little in common. Day of the Dead is neither morbid nor macabre--it is a celebration of the memories of those who have died, and typically involves families visiting cemeteries and churches to pray for their departed loved ones. Family photos and favorite foods, toys and other items closely associated with the deceased are placed side by side on an "ofrenda," or altar, providing a number of different avenues of memory by which the living and the dead can reunite. Parties and food play a prominent role in Day of the Dead festivities.
"Day of the Dead: All Souls Day" features an altar on which students and the campus community are invited to place photographs, silk flowers, toys, non-perishable food items and other favorite objects of their loved ones. Mexican artwork, pottery, ceramics and clothing are also featured, as are celebrations from other countries. div>"Day of the Dead: All Souls Day" will be on display through October 15th during the library's regular business hours. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
Of Corpse: Death and Humor in Folklore and Popular Culture edited by Peter Narvaez
Day of the Dead in the USA: The Migration and Transformation of a Cultural Phenomenon by Regina M. Marchi
Skulls to the Living, Bread to the Dead: The Day of the Dead in Mexico and Beyond by Stanley Brandes
Submitted by Kimberly Johnson and Sandy Cochran
