A group celebration was held at East Aurora Excessive Faculty over the weekend as Athziry Día de Muertos and the town of Aurora supplied a Dia de los Muertos occasion.
The free five-hour occasion on Sunday included stay music, meals, dancing and extra in honor of the upcoming Dia de los Muertos – Day of the Useless – which is historically celebrated on Nov. 1-2 in Mexico and throughout Latin America to honor family members who’ve handed away.
Jose Torres, a member of the Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board and the Athziry Basis, mentioned the occasion has been held for 17 years and was moved this 12 months from downtown Aurora “in an effort to supply a spot the place folks really feel secure.”
“We had this downtown and I used to be fascinated with an area and East Excessive is cooperating with us and we consider folks will really feel extra snug,” he mentioned.
Torres mentioned the non-profit Athziry group’s mission is to advertise the cultural parts of Mexicans together with “the special day of the Day of the Useless.”
“For 17 years, we’ve had ofrendas at companies in Montgomery and Aurora and we cooperate with them to advertise this,” he mentioned earlier than the occasion over the weekend. “We had about 1,500 folks final 12 months in downtown Aurora and since that is inside this 12 months we count on much more.”
New this 12 months on the occasion was a Mexican items and artifacts market that was positioned inside the varsity in addition to a vogue present.
Cynthia Junejo, proprietor of Goat Woman Jewellery which was a vendor on the occasion, mentioned she was comfortable to take part within the celebration.
“With the political local weather we’ve happening, with quite a lot of concern in numerous neighborhoods – particularly the Latino neighborhoods – I assumed it was necessary for me to take part so I can unfold the phrase that this occasion is happening and get extra folks, particularly from Aurora, to return and test it out,” she mentioned. “We have to assist them (Athziry) increase funds and hold the tradition alive.”
A dance group, Danzantes Unidos Mitotiliztli, was readily available on the occasion and member Jolynn Garcia of Aurora mentioned their efficiency would offer help for the Dia de los Muertos celebration.
“We’re spreading our tradition and ensuring that Day of the Useless is represented with all the pieces that we do,” she mentioned.
She mentioned the Day of the Useless is “stunning.”
“The day you neglect to recollect your family members is the day then you possibly can say they’ve handed on, however that is opening the doorways and the sunshine, displaying them the sunshine to return in,” she mentioned.
Fashionable Mexican actress Katie Barberi was readily available, including a star contact to the occasion.
“We’re doing a celebration of a lovely Mexican custom that’s shared by all Mexican communities and it’s been embraced by the American and Canadian group because the Day of the Useless and a celebration all through the Halloween festivities,” she mentioned. “That is to rejoice the lives of these we’ve misplaced and all of us have that widespread thread – all of us take the time to recollect somebody we’ve cherished and misplaced.”
Valeria Torres, 14, of Carpentersville, was on the occasion and mentioned you will need to rejoice Dia de los Muertos.
“I feel it’s necessary we do that. Now we have celebrated this in our household,” she mentioned. “It’s not like Christmas – it’s one thing we do out of respect. My favourite a part of that is remembering our relations who’ve handed away. That their spirit will get to be with us, and also you simply get to speak about them.”
David Sharos is a contract reporter for The Beacon-Information.
