Mexican Embassy honours Guyanese singer, painter at ‘Day of the Dead’ celebration

The Mexican Embassy in Guyana Friday evening held a celebratory reception to commemorate the “The Day of the Dead” or “Día de Muertos”.

The Day of the Dead honours loved ones who have passed; it is an annual and important tradition for Mexico.

November 1 is observed for children who died, while November 2 is observed for adults.

A prominent feature in the tradition is the altar. Mexican Ambassador to Guyana Jose Omar Hurtado Contreras said the altars have meaningful elements as a way of showing the dead that they are not forgotten.

“The most traditional aspect of this celebration is the altar like the one we are seeing in the Embassy. Each item on the altar has a meaning, for example, the water, food, flowers and photographs. On this day, in Mexico, altars are common in offices, houses and school,” the Ambassador said.

The altar at the Mexican Embassy was dedicated to the late Ron Savory – a renowned Guyanese artist – along with Guyanese singer Johnny Braff; also honoured were three prominent persons from Mexico: Fransisco Toledo – Mexican painter and activist; Jose Ortiz, Mexican singer and actor and Miguel León-Portilla, Mexican anthropologist and historian.

Cities in Mexico will be celebrating the Day of the Dead with huge parades featuring La Catrina, who has become an icon for the tradition.

La Catarina depicts a female skeleton dressed only in a hat.