Museo Guadalupe Aztlan celebrated their 30th Annual Dia de los Muertos Observance at Evergreen Cemetery Friday. Professor Jesus Cantu Medel, executive director and founder of the organization, said it is traditional to focus on deceased children on November 1, to ask their permission to celebrate with them and place marigolds on their graves. “We are very different from the Halloween celebration. Our celebration here is more Mexican/Indian in terms of content.” Any decorations on the graves were done by the deceased children’s own families. (Photos by Violeta Alvarez)
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Dia de los Muertos Observance at Evergreen Cemetery -
Professor Jesus Medel Founder of Museo Guadalupe Aztlan -
Calpulli Itzcoatl Tezkatlipoka de Houston Texas leading the Blessing of the Four Winds ceremony. -
A group gathered in observance for the Blessing of the Four Winds ceremony, before entering the cemetery. -
The Blessing of the Four Winds ceremony -
A bundle of marigold (cempasúchil) flowers, ready to be placed on the children’s graves in remembrance -
The attendees gather to receive bundles of marigold (cempasúchil) flowers, honoring the children by placing them on their graves. -
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Getting ready to make the walk along the path to children’s graves. -
Preparing to take the path toward Babyland -
Professor Jesus Cantu Medel, founder of Museo Guadalupe Aztlan, makes his way down the path to Babyland. -
Walking the path to the children’s graves with a song. -
A mourning parent visits her child’s grave to plant flowers. -
Walking to children’s graves. -
Marigold (cempasúchil) flowers -
The group of attendants makes their way down the path to Babyland, children’s grave. -
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Professor Jesus Cantu Medel plucks petals from the marigold (cempasúchil) flowers along the path to Babyland. -
A member of Calpulli Itzcoatl Tezkatlipoka from Houston, Texas, performs a ritual of purification to bless the children’s grave. -
One of the members of Calpulli Itzcoatl Tezkatlipoka in Houston, Texas, is conducting a purification ritual to bless the children’s grave. -
Attendants are laying marigold (cempasúchil) flowers on the children’s graves. -
Child’s grave at Babyland. -
Attendants are honoring the children’s graves by placing marigold (cempasúchil) flowers. -
One of the child’s graves at Babyland is adorned with marigold (cempasúchil) flowers placed by an attendant. -
Marigold (cempasúchil) flowers are being placed by attendants at the children’s graves -
Prayer circle and attendants grieving. -
Prayer Circle gathering, offering attendees a space to reflect and honor those who have passed, -
Attendants grieving together stand in a prayer circle. -
Prayer circle -
Prayer Circle gathering. -
Prayer Circle gathering -
Performing a ritual of purification. -
A child’s grave, beautifully adorned with flowers and Halloween ornaments. -
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Child’s grave -
A grieving parents tends to their child’s grave by planting fresh flowers. -
The grave, decorated with the child’s toys, flowers, and Christmas ornaments, is a heartfelt tribute to love and remembrance. -
Parents grieving the loss of their child visit the grave -
Parents in mourning come to visit their child’s grave. -
A parent tends to her son’s grave by placing flowers. -
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Prayer circle. -
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The group of attendants for the Dia de los Muertos Observance.