Celebrate Día de los Muertos at the National Museum of the American Indian. Artist Lilia Ramirez (Nahua) will create an interactive mural featuring La Catrina, one of the most iconic images drawn by Mexican illustrator and printmaker Jose Guadalupe Posada. Posada’s work has inspired artists for generations. His satirical calaveras (skulls) in particular have shaped the appearance of Día de los Muertos. The Day of the Dead is a festival celebrated by people in Mexico, parts of Central and South America, and many Latino communities across the United States as a way to honor family and friends who have passed away. The tradition originates from the Indigenous cultures of Mesoamerica, including the Mexica (Aztec) and Maya. Visitors can honor loved ones by making paper marigolds, the bright flowers that decorate family ofrendas (altars) set up for the Day of the Dead. The festival will feature a traditional ofrenda created by National Heritage Fellow Ofelia Esparza (Purépecha) and her daughter Rosanna Esparza Ahrens, who have collaborated in creating ofrendas since 1999. Federal support for this program is provided by the Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center. |