Stars, city founder remembered in Day of the Dead altars
Local residents honor dead relatives with Dia de los Muertos traditions
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DAY OF THE DEAD
Dia de los Muertos is on Nov. 2.
Family members of the deceased make an altar and set out their favorite food.
Rafael Venegas will speak on the tradition of the Day of the Dead, titled, ...
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DAY OF THE DEAD
Dia de los Muertos is on Nov. 2.
Family members of the deceased make an altar and set out their favorite food.
Rafael Venegas will speak on the tradition of the Day of the Dead, titled, "El Dia de los Muertos, History and Traditions" at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the museum.
Bernie Mac, Farrah Fawcett, Patrick Swayze and Martin DeLeon have something in common this week.
They are among the people being remembered with altars in the Museum of the Coastal Bend's el Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) exhibit.
The altars are part of the museum's first el Dia de los Muertos ofrenda contest, where students from Memorial High School Senior Campus, as well as the public, put together an altar to honor someone who has died.
An altar for the late comedian Bernie Mac holds his favorite food, including chicken, made from ceramics with an illustration of Mac.
Michelle Tharp, teacher at Memorial High School and sponsor of the Urban Art Club, gathered her students to put together altars commemorating stars who had died away.
Actress Farrah Fawcett's altar holds a replica of her favorite pie and is adorned with marigolds, the traditional day of the dead flower.
Marigolds are similar to the cempazúchitl, the aztec flower used to commemorate el Dia de los Muertos.
Students also honored the late actor Patrick Swayze with an altar which holds items to symbolize his favorite past time and a replica of pepperoni pizza for his favorite food.
Lisa Brimberry, education coordinator for the Museum of the Coastal Bend, contacted teachers in August about the exhibit.
"There's nothing like this in any other Spanish-speaking country," said Rafael Venegas, retired Victoria College professor.
Venegas said the day of the dead is a blend between Catholicism and Aztec ritual. It's Christian because of the crosses and candles. However, the images of skulls used come from the Aztecs, Venegas said.
"They poke fun at death," Venegas said. He said it is different than Halloween because it is a family event.
People visit their loved ones in the cemetery and spend the evening there having dinner. It's a festive event, Venegas said.
"I remember my grandfather lost one of his fingers in the Marines and would joke saying I bit it off," said Brimberry, as she set up her own altar.
Brimberry places items which remind her of her grandfather - a cigar, his photo when he was younger.
"He traveled to all the continents, except Australia," Brimberry said.
She said her fascination for the day has inspired her to participate with her own altar.
Kathy Garcia Dunson made an altar to commemorate her ancestors, one of whom was a founder of Victoria, Martin de Leon.
"I want to get back into genealogy," said Dunson. She thought this would be a good way to try to get in contact with other family members and remember them.
Dunson's altar commemorated her family dating back to the mid-1800's with items such as fruit, photos, candles and flowers to symbolize how they were in life.
"I remember as a little girl I would help them go pick the corn," Dunson said, adding that she made the altar to draw interest in the Hispanic community.
Venegas also sees the event as a way to promote the Hispanic community and inform Hispanics about their roots.
"It's a way to learn about culture and traditions," Venegas said.
