FLAGSTAFF — Final preparations were completed by Friday afternoon with the hanging of strings of papel picado and the adornment of nearly two dozen altars at the Museum of Northern Arizona as Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces prepared for the 12th annual Celebraciones de la Gente to be held Oct. 24-25.
In partnership with the Museum of Northern Arizona, the celebration opened with a member’s preview on Friday evening with the lighting of candles throughout the historic Jaime Major Golightly Historic Courtyard.
The public is invited to attend Celebraciones at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 and Sunday, Oct. 25. The weekend schedule includes:
Saturday, October 24
9:30 am – Sugar Skull Decorating (limited to 25 guests)
Main Stage Performers
10:00 am – Mariachi Mexico Antiguo
11:30 am – Cumbia Dance Lessons
12:30 pm – Mariachi Mexico Antiguo (Lecture Only)
2:00 pm – Ballet Folklorico de Colores
3:30 pm – In Tlanextli Tlacopan Aztec Fire Dancers
Heritage Insights Lectures
10:15 am – The Significance of Ofrendas (Altars)
11:00 am – “La Llorona (The Weeping Woman)” with Stella Pope Duarte
12:00 pm – Modern-Day Aztec Traditions & Dance
1:30 pm – Community Art Project
Kids’ Corner
All Day Activities – Mask making, Mexican paper flowers & skeleton hand puppets
10:30 am – Puppet Show: A Pinata for Pepito
2:30 pm- Puppet Show: A Pinata for Pepito
Sunday, October 25
9:30 am – Sugar Skull Decorating (limited to 25 guests)
Branigar Hall Performances
10:00 am – Mariachi Mexico Antiguo
11:30 am – Cumbia Dance Lessons
12:30 pm – Ballet Folklorico de Colores
2:00 pm – Mariachi Mexico Antiguo (Lecture Only)
3:30 pm – In Tlanextli Tlacopan Aztec Fire Dancers
Heritage Insights Lectures
10:15 am – The Significance of Ofrendas (Altars)
11:00 am – “La Llorona (The Weeping Woman)” with Stella Pope Duarte
12:00 pm – Modern-Day Aztec Traditions & Dance
1:30 pm – Community Art Project
Kids’ Corner
All Day Activities – Mask making, Mexican paper flowers & skeleton hand puppets
10:30 am – Puppet Show: A Pinata for Pepito
2:30 pm- Puppet Show: A Pinata for Pepito
Celebraciones de la Gente is presented by the museum in partnership with Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces, a local grassroots organization of Flagstaff’s Hispanic pioneer families from the 1900s, dedicated to promoting Mexican, Mexican-American and Hispanic culture.
Tickets available for annual Celebraciones de la Gente raffle
Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos), an ancient pre-Columbian observance, is held throughout Mexico, Latin America and the Southwest on Nov. 1 and 2 (All Saint’s Day and All Soul’s Day). While rituals and timing vary geographically, central to every celebration is a gathering of friends and family who visit cemeteries to remember their loved ones. Today’s celebrations fuse centuries of indigenous practices with contemporary traditions and spiritual beliefs. Ofrendas (altars), marigold flowers, sugar skulls and skeleton caricatures, pan de muerto (bread of the dead) and photos of those who have passed take center stage.
The museum’s courtyard will be transformed — decorated with brightly colored papel picado (cut paper banners), candles and flower-and-memento-filled ofrendas created by local families and artists.
Members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces will be selling commemorative t-shirts, pan de muerto and other items as a fundraiser for its Cultural Heritage Fund. More than a half-dozen art and jewelry vendors will participate in the celebration, along with food vendors located outside the museum.
A members preview, Friday, Oct. 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. includes a silent auction and first opportunity to purchase artwork from participating artists. To become a member of the Museum of Northern Arizona, call 928-774-5211, ext. 219.
The Museum of Northern Arizona is at 3101 N. Fort Valley Road, three miles from downtown Flagstaff on scenic Highway 180 leading to the Grand Canyon.
Event admission is $12 adult and $8 student (with ID), American Indian (with tribal affiliation) and youth (10-17). Children under 10 and MNA members are free.
Contact Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces for information on a limited number of discount tickets for adults at contact@flagstaffnuestrasraices.org.
Celebraciones is made possible through the Arizona Commission on the Arts which receives support from the State of Arizona and the National Endowment for the Arts, Arizona Humanities, City of Flagstaff BBB Revenues and Flagstaff Arts Council.
Click here, here or call 928.774.5213 for more information.
Photos by Frank X. Moraga / AmigosNAZ ©2015