Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?

Subject: RE: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: Goose Gander
Date: 06 Nov 11 - 11:25 PM

I live in southern California, lots of folks celebrate day of the dead.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 06 Nov 11 - 07:10 PM

Yes - had a kitchen table ritual sharing with some friends, talking about family or friends who've died, passing round photos, playing music, etc.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Nov 11 - 02:14 PM

Thought some might find this of interest. It is from Jim Conrad's naturalist's Newsletter. He's living in Mexico at the moment:

"DESCENDING SPIRITS MAKING RAIN

On Tuesday, November 1st, at breakfast at Hacienda
Chichen, just to have something to say, I remarked to
my Maya friend Edgar that yet another shower had
begun, so apparently things were destined to stay lush
and muddy awhile longer.

"He replied, "Espíritus bajando -- spirits coming down.
It always rains like this at this time." Then he moved
away to serve a visitor. When José the shaman came to
eat with me I asked about Edgar's cryptic remark.

""It's the Día de los Difuntos, the Day of the Dead,"
he explained. "On this day spirits descend to the
Earth to gather up souls, to lead them upwards.
Spirits are pure energy so when they gather in the sky
before coming here they concentrate their energies,
that changes the atmospherics, so it rains... "

"Notice that spirits are different from souls. Spirits
are pure energy, but souls can be accompanied by
visible features from their previous lives. And there
are different degrees of spirits, the higher degrees
possessing more energy. Under certain circumstances
souls can be seen. Not all souls wandering on Earth
after the deaths of their bodies return with the
spirits. Some souls might wander for hundreds of
years, or longer. Later Edgar told me that it'll rain
again at the end of the month when the spirits come
together again to lead the souls upward.

""It's all a bit complex," José admitted, seeing me
trying to piece it all together.

"In the afternoon José presided over the construction
of an altar where offerings were left for wandering
souls. It was still raining, as the spirits descended."

Subject: RE: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: bubblyrat
Date: 02 Nov 11 - 04:57 AM

If anyone out there wants me to put a flower on the last resting place of the artiste known as Dusty Springfield , a few paces from my front door ( which is in a graveyard !) , I shall be happy to do so .

Subject: RE: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 01 Nov 11 - 12:37 PM

Claro que si!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Nov 11 - 02:16 AM

We have a large Hispanic community at the women's center where I do volunteer work, so we have quite a celebration for Dia de los Muertos on November 2. The women build an altar over the last few days before November 2, and it's always very moving to look at. I took a picture of this year's altar on Monday. I left the file size big so you can zoom in and look at all the little things people put on the altar.
On Wednesday, we'll have a mariachi band, and a little ritual to bless the altar and remember those who have gone on before us.
-Joe-

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Click to display

Subject: RE: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: open mike
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 01:01 PM

why are so many flocking to Almunecar-Andalucia

http://www.totallysortedsports.co.uk/CostaTropical/Almunecar-Andalucia-Spain-Fiestas.htm?

http://www.andalucia.com/province/granada/almunecar/home.htm

Subject: RE: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: Ebbie
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 12:03 PM

Today happens to be the 125th birthday of my beloved grandmother. She stood about 4'10', sang and whistled and laughed. She always reminded me of a bird.

Of course she's been gone for some years now.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: RTim
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 11:40 AM

YES - I celebrate today because it the date I "retired" from WORK, and also
the date on which I moved to the USA!!

Time to celebrate, it just happens to be Halloween!!

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: BTNG
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 10:13 AM

nope

Subject: RE: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: SINSULL
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 10:00 AM

My great- grandnephew goes to a bi-lingual school in NYC where he will be celebrating the Day Of The Dead. I can't wait to hear the details.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: GUEST,AEOLA
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 09:38 AM

It's a wonderful way of remembering. I've seen it in Mexico and Spain.

For Folkiedave, I'll be in Almunecar next week for a fortnight, when are you there??

Subject: RE: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: Folkiedave
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 07:20 AM

I was in Almunecar in Andalucia and just falling asleep around midnight when a party came up my narrow street - holding candles and chanting and lead by a priest.

Very spooky when you are not expecting it.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: bubblyrat
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 06:26 AM

Lovely idea !

Subject: RE: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: Cats
Date: 31 Oct 11 - 04:59 AM

At the Eden Project this weekend there was an altar in the Mediterranean Biome set up to honour the Day of the Dead. I will set an empty place at dinner tonight for those who have gone to the Summerlands as will many pagans.

Subject: Folklore: Anyone celebrate day of the dead?
From: open mike
Date: 30 Oct 11 - 11:33 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead
http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/
http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/articles/dead-history.html
http://www.mexconnect.com/tags/day-of-the-dead
http://spanish.about.com/cs/culture/a/dayofdead.htm
http://www.destination360.com/north-america/mexico/dead-masks
http://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article.asp?article_id=205