Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead, celebrating its 10th year in Kennett Square was held at The Creamery, 401 Birch St., Kennett Square, PA over the weekend of October 31st and November 1st This year the rich culture of Sinaloa was highlighted.
Gonzalo Cano, President of Casa Guanajuato, the cultural organization that promotes the Mexican/Hispanic cultures and sponsored the event said, “In the past four years we have chosen to highlight one state of Mexico and learn about its unique customs. This has helped Kennett area residents who came from a specific area of Mexico get involved as teachers about their homeland and it deepens our understanding of how they practice Dia de los Muertos.”
Every November, Mexico throughout the country holds its largest public celebration of the year, which is Dia de los Muertos; a fusion of Roman Catholic and Indigenous rituals that honor and remember deceased loved ones. This holiday is now growing in popularity in the United States and thanks to Casa Guanajuato the cultural celebration has been brought to Kennett Square.
Gonzalo goes on to say, “I celebrated the event when I was growing up in Mexico but must admit I did not know the deeper significance. Being a part of putting on this event has helped me become more educated and appreciative of this meaningful tradition. I still like to emphasize that death isn’t scary, it is all about the cycle of life”
Spread about the back room of The Creamery there were five personal altar tables displaying individual family offerings with photos of deceased loved ones surrounded by marigolds. Kennett Area Community Services (KACS) even had a table with names of their volunteers helping in the community. This year a table (ofrenda/altar) was added commemorating the spirit of furry, feathered and scaled friends. It is a joyful homage to the animals who have enriched our lives in countless ways.
The marigolds, cempasuchil, a bright orange color and pungent smell of the flower is intended to draw the dead back. There was one large, decorated community “offerings” table, which represented Mexico City and visitors were encouraged to become part of the process by lighting a candle and writing a message to their loved ones. Encircling the altar were photos of community members, who have deceased. It was decorated with silk gladiola flowers, the flower of that area, created by the Kennett Community Klatch ladies.
Along with the photos on the altars, there was an array of food, drinks, artifacts, candles and items with personal meaning. The traditional bread of “pan de muerto” is a staple for all the tables.
The event had the participation of several young people from the community with Kennett High School, Unionville, Avon Grove High Schools helping at the event as guides and educators. One student from Stetson Middle School that I interviewed was attending the event because his Spanish teacher encouraged the students to attend. Eric said: “I learned about this Mexican custom in class and understand that this is a special day, when the veil between life and the afterlife is very thin and there is loving communication going on.”
Jeanne Searer, who grew up in Latin America has given many volunteer hours to the event from the beginning. “It brings back my youth, keeps my Spanish language fresh and helps me continually appreciate the beauty of this culture that I was fortunate enough to be a part.”
Featured special guest, Nadia Yuriar, joined from Sinaloa to celebrate a 35 year career of another artist/singer from Sinaloa, Lola Beltran. Eva Reatiga, a local resident once again created the sand art surrounded by orange crepe paper flowers as a border depicting the featured state of Sinaloa.”
Maricela Ayllon, who has been a part of the event since 2018 said that celebrating 10 years of Dia de los Muertos in Kennett Square has helped her each year be healed from the grief of losing her son at 16 years old. She said, “I feel his presence, and I know we are together in the living of life. I always find comfort lighting a candle and placing a message on the altar.”
The two days were filled with workshops to learn Mexican crafts and experience Mexican music and dance. The Danza Tenochtli troupe, as well as the kid troupe, performed with new dresses that were designed in Sinaloa and sent to Kennett for this special event. The commitment of the Casa Guanajuato committee was to keep it as authentic as possible.
The Creamery is an ideal site to share the Day of the Dead experience and educate the broader community. On interviewing a young couple with their small daughter and asking what brought them to the event, the mother said, “We just came to the Creamery for lunch and discovered this was going on and now we are learning something about the community that we knew nothing about.”
The Story of Kennett – Shaping the future one child at a time” Joan Holliday and Bob George’s book on Kennett may be purchased on Amazon and at the Mushroom Cap. You may contact Joan at: dochollisv@aol.com
Source: Berkshire mont