Celebrating Día De Los Muertos in Westchester

It may not be surprising to some that several local arts groups are bringing attention to the Mexican celebration of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, this fall. After all, according to the most recent census report available on Westchester County’s website (2010), there are more than 44,000 Mexican residents living in the county. So it might be safe to say that this holiday is celebrated in many households across the county. The Mexican day of remembrance honors deceased loved ones through a celebration of life. Music and dances are performed, favorite foods are cooked, and ofrendas (alters) are made with loved ones’ photos and decorated in marigolds.

Of course, one role of the arts is to represent the populations that make up its communities.  It celebrates people in each of those populations, but also introduces to everyone else traditions that are celebrated by their neighbors.

 “Our Día de los Muertos celebration is a meaningful way for the New Rochelle Public Library to honor the rich cultural traditions of our community members of Mexican heritage,” says the library’s director, Eugenia Schatoff. On November 2, the library will present a performance by the renowned Calpulli Mexican Dance Company in addition to live music, storytelling and more.  

Schatoff adds: “This holiday, deeply rooted in their history and customs, allows us to preserve and share these important practices while fostering understanding and connection among all of our residents.”

Another library that is shining a light on this holiday is White Plains Public Library. Through the month of October, the library created a community ofrenda through a series of workshops for children. Its website also offers a collection of books that help to introduce the holiday to children. The list of five books includes board books for infants, a book in which Sesame Street’s tells her friends Elmo and Abby all about the Mexican celebration, the story of a family remembering their beloved pet dog through the traditions of Día de los Muertos, and more.

“Ofrendas [created on Día de los Muertos] are believed to encourage visits from the departed souls as they hear their prayers, smell the food and join the celebration,” explains Pedro Betanzos, Manager of Family Programs at Hudson River Museum (HRM).  

“We will be setting up a large ofrenda in our lobby, and invite the community to bring photos of departed loved ones all weekend.” HRM’s community ofrenda will be on view November 1-3 during museum hours. On November 2 and 3, guests can make Cempasúchils, or Mexican Marigolds, in an art workshop to take home or add to the ofrenda.

Another community ofrenda will be created in Pelham on the windowsill of Pelham Art Center.  It will be on display on October 27 during an afternoon that includes a live performance by Mariachi Artístico and workshops led by artist Zafiro Romero-Acevedo. The center’s gallery and events manager, Rosa Van Zandt, explains that the Día De Los Muertos program “play[s] a vital role in fostering cultural understanding and in engaging the community.”