Dia de Los Muertos at Hollywood Forever
The only person I know who likes dress up and make believe more than me is Smash LeFunk. So when I heard about the revelry surrounding Dia de los Muertos in Los Angeles, I knew he’d be the perfect photog to bring along to capture all of the craziness.
The beating of drums sounded the way as a procession of costumed dancers made their way down the main path at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, performing an ancient Aztec Ritual Blessing. With some thirty thousand people in attendance, it’s apparent that the 3,000 year old Mexican tradition known as Day of the Dead is alive and well in LA.
In celebration of the holiday, hundreds of gravestones were built up into altars, all decorated in remembrance of loved ones that have passed on. The altars act as a collage to showcase the deceased’s personality and range from somber to comedic. One man’s family chose to remember a more sinful side of his time here on Earth, as they had rolled up a dollar bill and stuck it between the teeth of a skull to look like a cigarette, all the while quietly winking to the cocaine imagery that the rolled dollar obviously played upon.
While at another site a widow sat next to her husband’s grave dressed in all black with a veil covering her face. She sat motionless, completely immersed in silent grief.
I caught up with Liliana Rosas who runs publicity for the annual Los Angeles’ event and she explained that the wide range of expression is born from the fact that
Dia de Los Muertos celebrates the respect and love for a beloved one who has begun a new life cycle, a new journey.She added that the importance of the day’s events lies in “the preservation of a culture that has brought families together throughout time. There is so much significance in the family gathering to prepare an offering with food, drinks, and decorations.”
As Smash and I continued to stroll on, we came across another man, who, masked as a smiling skeleton, had created an art installation that served as a community altar where he offered everyone the chance to remember someone they’ve lost. Two IV bags of “blood” dripped slowly into a small pool where small pieces of paper marked with names floated together. Photographs, keepsakes, and handwritten notes were arranged just so while families stood by in costumes and face paint, ready to share the stories of the people they’d lost. Beer bottles, sunglasses, vinyl records, jewelry, toys, artwork, and food told the stories of those people who have gone before us.
Right next to Johnny Ramone’s fan-adorned statue was one of my favorite finds of the night - Southern California’s Coffin Couches. The company collects coffins from funeral homes and then constructs them into couches. The result is a totally twisted and luxurious piece of furniture. I was a little freaked out at first, but their representative assured me that the coffins they sell have never been used and are the ones that would have been discarded due to slight imperfections.
The main pond was aglow with floating candles and the music of world-renowned singer and Latin Grammy winner, Lila Downs, played out over a packed lawn. You may not recognize her name instantly, but you’ve probably heard her music. Her music was included in the soundtrack for Frida and she performed at the 75th Annual Academy Awards. Her band, La Misteriosa, performed on the main stage after a few children’s groups danced performance art-type routines to traditional Mexican music.
Families picnicked while children danced at the front of the stage and I still have no idea how Smash and I ended up noshing on Korean BBQ skewers at a traditional Mexican festival, but therein lies Reason #436 that I love Los Angeles. Culture doesn’t know boundaries here and so we end up mixing and matching and existing together. Celebrating an ancient Aztec holiday while filling up on Asian fare during the one day a year where the spirits of ancestors can meet face to face with the living loved ones they’ve left behind.
Photos By: Smash LeFunk
