Koko News | Global | 1 days ago

Day of the Dead Celebrations Bring Communities Together Amid Immigration Fears

Morethan100peoplefollowedAztecdancersthroughanarchofpaperflowersintoElColegioHighSchoolonSaturdaymorningtovisitaltarsthatstudentshadcreatedtocommemorateDíadeMuertosorDayoftheDead.

週六上午，100 多人跟隨阿茲特克舞者穿過紙花拱門進入埃爾科萊吉奧高中，參觀學生們為紀念亡靈節（Día de Muertos）而搭建的祭壇。

Thesecrucialreligious, familyandcommunitycelebrationsformostMexicansandmanyotherLatinAmericanshavetakenonspecialsignificancethisyearin U.S. Latinocommunities, astheTrumpadministrationescalatesimmigrationenforcementraids, includinginMinnesota.

對大多數墨西哥人和許多其他拉丁美洲人來說，這些至關重要的宗教、家庭和社區慶祝活動，今年在美國拉丁裔社區具有了特殊的意義，因為川普政府加強了移民執法突襲力度，包括明尼蘇達州。

Someorganizersworriedthatfearsofdeportationwouldcastapallonpubliccelebrations, participantsturnedoutindrovesincitiesbigandsmall, sayingtheritualsbroughtamuch-neededsenseofresilienceandcommunitypride.

一些組織者擔心被驅逐出境的恐懼會對公眾慶祝活動蒙上陰影，但參與者從大城市到小城市蜂擁而至，他們表示這些儀式帶來了急需的韌性和社區自豪感。

TheIndigenousLatinoartist’sfamilystartedasmallcommemorationintheparkinglotoftheirpaintingbusinessin 2018. Thisyear, some 12,000 peoplejoinedthedaylongcelebrationthatincludedlivemusicandseveraldozenpapier-mâchésculpturesofCatrinas (elaborately dressed skeletons) andfantasycreaturescalledalebrijes.

這位拉丁裔原住民藝術家的家人於 2018 年在他們繪畫工作室的停車場開始了一場小型紀念活動。今年，約有 12,000 人參加了這場為期一天的慶祝活動，其中包括現場音樂表演和數十個紙漿雕塑，包括卡特里娜（盛裝打扮的骷髏）和被稱為 alebrijes 的奇幻生物。

Mostactivitieswerefundedbycommunitydonations. Ek’sfathercametothe U.S. from Mexicoasapreteen, andinthestruggletomakealivingandeventuallybuildafamily, manyconnectionswithhishomelandandrelativestheredisappeared, Eksaid.

大部分活動都由社區捐款資助。埃克說，她的父親十幾歲時從墨西哥來到美國，為了謀生並最終組建家庭，他與家鄉和親人的許多聯繫都斷了。

DayoftheDeadfestivitiesbecameawaytogrievethatandrekindlesometies, headded, inadditiontocommemoratingmorerecentfamilydeaths.

他補充說，亡靈節的慶祝活動除了紀念最近去世的家庭成員外，還成為了一種哀悼逝者、重燃親情的方式。

Theholiday’sbalanceofjoyfulremembranceandarenewedsenseofpresencedistinguishesitfromboththeoutrightpartyatmosphereofHalloweenandthesombermemorialsoftheChristianholydaysofAllSaintson Nov. 1 andAllSouls’Dayon Nov. 2.

這個節日既有歡樂的回憶，又有重新感受到的存在感，這使其既不同於萬聖節的狂歡氛圍，也不同於基督教聖日（11月1日諸聖節和11月2日諸靈節）的莊嚴肅穆的紀念活動。

Infact, DayoftheDeadevolvedovercenturiesfromIndigenouspracticesacrosstheAmericas, andonlysettledonthesefalldatesafterCatholicismwasintroduced, saidCaryCordova, aUniversityofTexasprofessor.

事實上，德州大學教授凱裡·科爾多瓦表示，亡靈節是從美洲各地的土著習俗演變而來，歷經數個世紀，直到天主教傳入後才最終確定在秋季的這些日期。

Differentregionsmarkitwithuniquedetails, butthecrucialelementispayinghomagetothedeadwith“ofrendas,” festiveofferingsoffood, drinks, musicandpastimesfavoritebythedead.

不同地區以獨特的細節來紀念逝者，但關鍵在於用「祭品」（ofrendas）來表達對逝者的敬意，祭品包括食物、飲料、音樂以及逝者生前喜愛的消遣活動。

Theirsouls, manybelieve, returnforavisit, guidedbythecandlesandmarigoldflowersthatmarkthepathtotheofrendas.

許多人相信，他們的靈魂會回來探望，並沿著通往祭壇的蠟燭和萬壽菊指引方向。

WhetherinhisMexicanchildhoodortodayinMankato, LuisAlbertoOrozcosaidthekeyistocommemorateby“havingfunastheywouldbe”— withthedeparted’sfavoritesnacksandsongs.

路易斯·阿爾貝托·奧羅斯科表示，無論是在他墨西哥的童年時代，還是如今在曼卡托，紀念的關鍵在於“像他們生前那樣享受樂趣”——享用逝者生前最喜歡的零食，聆聽他們生前最喜歡的歌曲。

It’srememberingpeoplewhopassedonpositivelybecausetheywouldwantustorememberthemhappy…andmakingourselvesfeelthey’rewithus.

這是指以積極的態度緬懷逝者，因為他們希望我們記得他們快樂的模樣……並讓自己感覺他們與我們同在。

Astheemceeofthisyear’scelebration, OrozcoreflectedontenseconversationsinrecentmonthsaboutwhethertheeventinMankatomightdrawimmigrationenforcementraids, especiallyasrumorsspreadonsocialmedia.

作為今年慶祝活動的司儀，奧羅茲科回顧了近幾個月來關於曼卡託的活動是否可能招致移民執法部門突襲的緊張討論，尤其是在社交媒體上謠言四起的情況下。

'Wedecidedwewerenotgoingtobeafraid. Itwasimportantforustokeepourfaith,” hesaid. “OnceIgottotheeventandsawallthepeoplesmile, allthefearswentaway.'

「我們決定不再害怕。對我們來說，保持信念非常重要，」他說。 “當我到達活動現場，看到人們臉上洋溢著笑容時，所有的恐懼都消失了。”

TherecentcrackdownonillegalimmigrationinChicagohasgeneratedcontroversyandstirredfearsacrossthatcity. LisaNoce, someofwhoseancestorsimmigratedfromMexicotoChicago’sPilsenneighborhoodwhereshegrewup, worriedpeoplewouldstayawayfromaDayoftheDeadinstallationshehelpedcreatebytheNationalMuseumofMexicanArtthere.

芝加哥近期對非法移民的嚴厲打擊引發了爭議，並在全城引發了恐慌。麗莎·諾斯（Lisa Noce）的祖先中有人從墨西哥移民到芝加哥的皮爾森社區，她在那裡長大。她擔心人們會因此而對她參與創作的、由墨西哥國家藝術博物館主辦的亡靈節裝置藝術作品敬而遠之。

Butabigcrowdcame. 'I’mverythankfulthatitturnedoutthatway,” shesaid, addingthatshealsosetsupasmallerofrendainherkitchenwithcandy, Barbiedolls, andsmilingphotosofdeceasedfamilymembers.

但來了很多人。「我很慶幸事情是這樣的結果，」她說，並補充說她還在廚房裡擺放了一個較小的祭壇，上面放著糖果、芭比娃娃和已故家庭成員的微笑照片。

More than 100 people followed Aztec dancers through an arch of paper flowers into El Colegio High School on Saturday morning to visit altars that students had created to commemorate Día de Muertos or Day of the Dead.

These crucial religious, family and community celebrations for most Mexicans and many other Latin Americans have taken on special significance this year in U.S. Latino communities, as the Trump administration escalates immigration enforcement raids, including in Minnesota.

Some organizers worried that fears of deportation would cast a pall on public celebrations, participants turned out in droves in cities big and small, saying the rituals brought a much-needed sense of resilience and community pride.

The Indigenous Latino artist’s family started a small commemoration in the parking lot of their painting business in 2018. This year, some 12,000 people joined the daylong celebration that included live music and several dozen papier-mâché sculptures of Catrinas (elaborately dressed skeletons) and fantasy creatures called alebrijes.

Most activities were funded by community donations. Ek’s father came to the U.S. from Mexico as a preteen, and in the struggle to make a living and eventually build a family, many connections with his homeland and relatives there disappeared, Ek said.

Day of the Dead festivities became a way to grieve that and rekindle some ties, he added, in addition to commemorating more recent family deaths.

The holiday’s balance of joyful remembrance and a renewed sense of presence distinguishes it from both the outright party atmosphere of Halloween and the somber memorials of the Christian holy days of All Saints on Nov. 1 and All Souls’ Day on Nov. 2.

In fact, Day of the Dead evolved over centuries from Indigenous practices across the Americas, and only settled on these fall dates after Catholicism was introduced, said Cary Cordova, a University of Texas professor.

Different regions mark it with unique details, but the crucial element is paying homage to the dead with “ofrendas,” festive offerings of food, drinks, music and pastimes favorite by the dead.

Their souls, many believe, return for a visit, guided by the candles and marigold flowers that mark the path to the ofrendas.

Whether in his Mexican childhood or today in Mankato, Luis Alberto Orozco said the key is to commemorate by “having fun as they would be” — with the departed’s favorite snacks and songs.

It’s remembering people who passed on positively because they would want us to remember them happy … and making ourselves feel they’re with us.

As the emcee of this year’s celebration, Orozco reflected on tense conversations in recent months about whether the event in Mankato might draw immigration enforcement raids, especially as rumors spread on social media.

'We decided we were not going to be afraid. It was important for us to keep our faith,” he said. “Once I got to the event and saw all the people smile, all the fears went away.'

The recent crackdown on illegal immigration in Chicago has generated controversy and stirred fears across that city. Lisa Noce, some of whose ancestors immigrated from Mexico to Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood where she grew up, worried people would stay away from a Day of the Dead installation she helped create by the National Museum of Mexican Art there.

But a big crowd came. 'I’m very thankful that it turned out that way,” she said, adding that she also sets up a smaller ofrenda in her kitchen with candy, Barbie dolls, and smiling photos of deceased family members.