Koko News | Global | 1 days ago

Mexican American Families Celebrate Day of the Dead

Thisweekend, MexicanAmericanfamiliesacrossthe U.S. will gathertohonortheirancestorswithaltars, marigoldsandsugarskullsonDiadelosMuertos—theDayoftheDead.

本週末，美國各地的墨西哥裔美國家庭將聚集在一起，在亡靈節（Dia de los Muertos）上用祭壇、萬壽菊和糖骷髏來紀念他們的祖先。

Inrecentyears, thecelebrationhasbecomemorecommercialized, leavingmanyinthecommunitywonderinghowtopreservethecenturies-oldtraditionwhileevolvingtokeepitalive.

近年來，這項慶祝活動變得越來越商業化，這讓社區中的許多人感到困惑，如何在保留這項有著數百年曆史的傳統的同時，不斷發展使其延續下去。

DayoftheDeadistraditionallyanintimatefamilyaffair, observedwithhomealtars—ofrendas—andvisitstothecemeterytodecorategraveswithflowersandsugarskulls.

亡靈節傳統上是一個溫馨的家庭節日，人們會在家中擺放祭壇（ofrendas），並前往墓地用鮮花和糖骷髏裝飾墳墓。

Theybringtheirdeceasedlovedones’favoritefoodsandhiremusicianstoperformtheirfavoritesongs.

他們會帶去已故親人最愛吃的食物，也會請音樂家演奏他們最愛的歌曲。

Skeletonsarecentraltothecelebrations, symbolizingareturnofthebonestothelivingworld.

骷髏是慶祝活動的核心，象徵骸骨回歸人間。

Likeseedsplantedinsoil, thedeaddisappeartemporarily, onlytoreturneachyearliketheannualharvest.

就像播種在土壤裡的種子一樣，死者會暫時消失，但每年都會像豐收一樣回歸。

Families placephotographsoftheirancestorsontheirofrendas, whichincludepaperdecorationsandcandles, andareadornedwithofferingsofitemsbelovedbytheirlovedones, suchascigars, abottleofmezcal, oraplateofmole, tortillasandchocolates.

家人們將祖先的照片放在祭壇上，祭壇上還會擺放紙質裝飾品和蠟燭，並供奉逝者生前喜愛的物品，例如雪茄、一瓶龍舌蘭酒，或者一盤莫雷醬、玉米餅和巧克力。

DayoftheDeadcelebrationsinthe U.S. and Mexicocontinuetoevolve.

美國和墨西哥的亡靈節慶祝活動仍在不斷發展演變。

CesáreoMoreno, thechiefcuratorandvisualdirectoroftheNationalMuseumofMexicanArt, saidthe2017releaseofDisney’sanimatedmovie“Coco”transformedcelebrationsinnorthernMexicoandmadeDayoftheDeadmorepopularandcommercializedinthe U.S.

墨西哥國家藝術博物館首席策展人兼視覺總監塞薩雷奧·莫雷諾表示，2017年迪士尼動畫電影《尋夢環遊記》（Koko）的上映改變了墨西哥北部地區的慶祝活動，並使亡靈節在美國更加流行和商業化。

Americancitiesorganizefestivals, andMexicoCityholdsanannualDiadelosMuertos parade.

美國城市會舉辦各種節日，墨西哥城每年都會舉行亡靈節遊行。

“Coco”providedawayforpeoplewhodonotbelongtotheMexicanAmericancommunitytolearnaboutthetraditionandembraceitsbeauty, Morenosaid.

莫雷諾說，《Koko》讓不屬於墨西哥裔美國人社區的人們有機會了解這項傳統並欣賞它的美。

Butitalsomadethecelebrationmoremarketable.

但這也讓慶祝活動更具市場價值。

“TheMexicanAmericancommunityintheUnitedStatescelebratestheDayoftheDeadasaculturalexpression,” Morenosaid.

莫雷諾說：“在美國，墨西哥裔美國人社區將亡靈節作為一種文化表達方式來慶祝。”

“Itisahealthytraditionanditactuallyhasanimportantroleinthegrievingprocess.

“這是一種健康的傳統，它在哀悼過程中實際上發揮著重要作用。”

Butwith‘Coco,’ thatmoviereallythrustitintomainstreampopularculture.”

但《Koko》這部電影真正將它推向了主流流行文化。

Withitsincreasingpopularity, theDayoftheDeadisoftenconfusedwithHalloween, whichhastransformedhowitiscelebratedandpeople’sunderstandingofit, Morenosaid.

莫雷諾說，隨著亡靈節越來越受歡迎，它經常與萬聖節混淆，這改變了亡靈節的慶祝方式和人們對它的理解。

Inrecentyears, someinandoutsidetheMexicanAmericancommunityhavebuiltofrendasdevoidofcolor, leaningtowardsamoreminimalisticaesthetic.

近年來，墨西哥裔美國人社區內外的一些人建造了沒有色彩的祭壇，傾向於更簡約的美學。

ThecolorfulaltarshavebeenpartofMexicanandMesoamericanculturesincetheSpanisharrivedandconvertedMexico’sIndigenoustribestoCatholicism.

自從西班牙人到來並將墨西哥原住民部落皈依天主教以來，色彩繽紛的祭壇一直是墨西哥和中美洲文化的一部分。

Somefamiliesnowbuildaltarswithouttheflowersandpapelpicado—multi-coloredlacywallhangingsfeaturingheartsandskulls—ofyearsgoneby.

現在有些家庭搭建祭壇時不再使用鮮花和剪紙（一種飾有心形和骷髏圖案的彩色蕾絲壁掛）。

Morenosaidthat’sOK, aslongasthemeaningisn’tlost.

莫雷諾說，這樣沒關係，只要意思不丟失就好。

“Ifpeoplearelookingtodosomethingalittlebitdifferent, thatisfine,” Morenosaid.

莫雷諾說：“如果人們想做一些與眾不同的事情，那也很好。”

“Butifpeoplestopunderstandingwhatisattheheartofthistradition, ifpeoplestarttransformingthat, thatiswhatIamagainst.”

“但是，如果人們不再理解這一傳統的精髓，如果人們開始改變它，那就是我所反對的。”

AnaCecyLerma, aMexicanAmericanlivinginTexas, suspectstheminimalistofrendassatisfyadesiretocreateInstagram-worthycontent.

居住在德克薩斯州的墨西哥裔美國人安娜·塞西·勒爾瑪 (Ana Cecy Lerma) 懷疑，極簡主義的祭壇滿足了人們創作適合在 Instagram 上分享的內容的願望。

“Ithinkyoucanputwhatyouwantinanaltarandwhatconnectsyoutoyourlovedones,” Lermasaid.

「我認為你可以在祭壇上放置你想要的東西，以及能讓你與你所愛的人聯繫起來的東西，」勒爾瑪說。

“ButifyourreasoningismerelythatyoulikehowitlooksthenIfeelthat’slosingabitofthereasonastowhywemakealtars.”

“但如果你的理由只是因為你喜歡它的外觀，那麼我覺得這就有點偏離了我們製作祭壇的初衷。”

SehilaMotaCasper, directorofLatinosinHeritageConservation, anonprofitsupportingthepreservationofLatinxculture, saidAmericanbusinessesaretryingtomakemoneyoutofDiadelosMuertosastheyhaveCincodeMayo, focusingonprofitratherthanculture.

拉丁裔文化遺產保護協會（一個支持拉丁裔文化保護的非營利組織）的主任塞希拉·莫塔·卡斯珀表示，美國企業正試圖像對待五月五日節一樣，從亡靈節中賺錢，他們關注的是利潤而不是文化。

BigchainstoresincludingTargetandWal-Martnowsellcreate-your-own-ofrendakits, MotaCaspersaid.

莫塔·卡斯珀表示，包括塔吉特和沃爾瑪在內的大型連鎖商店現在出售自製祭壇套裝。

“It’sbeginningtogetculturallyappropriatedbyotherindividualsoutsideofourdiaspora,” shesaid.

「它開始被我們僑民群體以外的其他人進行文化挪用，」她說。

AlthoughnotMexican, BethMcRaehaslivedinArizonaandCaliforniaandhasalwaysbeensurroundedbyLatinoculture.

雖然貝絲麥克雷不是墨西哥人，但她曾在亞利桑那州和加州生活過，一直生活在拉丁文化的氛圍中。

ShehascreatedanaltarforDayoftheDeadsince 1994.

自 1994 年以來，她每年都會為亡靈節搭建祭壇。

Shebegancollectingitemsrelatedtothecelebrationintheearly90’sandhasamassedacollectionofmorethan 1,000 pieces.

她從 90 年代初開始收集與慶祝活動相關的物品，至今已收藏了 1000 多件藏品。

Andshethrowsapartytocelebratethedayeveryyear.

她每年都會舉辦派對來慶祝這一天。

“Thisisthecoolestcelebrationbecauseyou’reinvitingthelovedonesthatyou’velost,” McRaesaid.

「這是最棒的慶祝活動，因為你邀請了你失去的親人，」麥克雷說。

“IthrewmyfirstDayoftheDeadpartyinSanDiegowithmyverymeagercollectionofitems,” shecontinued, “anditbecameanannualevent.”

“我用我那點可憐的收藏品在聖地亞哥舉辦了我的第一個亡靈節派對，”她繼續說道，“結果它就成了每年的盛事。”

McRaesaidshetriestoberespectfulbymakingsurethetrinketssheplacesonherofrendaarefromMexico, andbyfocusingonlostlovedones.

麥克雷說，她努力保持尊重，確保擺放在祭壇上的小飾品來自墨西哥，並專注於紀念逝去的親人。

“It’sdonewithrespectandlove, butit’sanopportunitytoraiseawarenesstopeoplethatarenotfamiliarwiththecultureorarenotfromtheculture,” McRaesaid.

「我們懷著尊重和愛意來做這件事，但這也是一個提高那些不熟悉這種文化或並非來自這種文化的人們的意識的機會，」麥克雷說。

SalvadorOrdorica, afirstgenerationMexicanAmericanwholivesinLosAngeles, saidtraditionsmustbereinventedsotheyoungergenerationswanttokeepthemalive.

居住在洛杉磯的第一代墨西哥裔美國人薩爾瓦多·奧多里卡表示，傳統必須重新發明，這樣年輕一代才會想要將其傳承下去。

“Ithinkit’sokayfortraditionstochange,” Ordoricasaid.

「我認為傳統改變是可以的，」奧爾多里卡說。

“It’sawaytoreallykeepthattraditionaliveaslongasthecoreofthetraditionremainsinplace.”

“只要傳統的核心內容保持不變，這就是一種真正讓傳統延續下去的方法。”

___reporterMariaTeresaHernándezinMexicoCitycontributed.

___ 墨西哥城記者瑪麗亞·特蕾莎·埃爾南德斯 (Maria Teresa Hernández) 做出了貢獻。

This weekend, Mexican American families across the U.S. will gather to honor their ancestors with altars, marigolds and sugar skulls on Dia de los Muertos — the Day of the Dead.

In recent years, the celebration has become more commercialized, leaving many in the community wondering how to preserve the centuries-old tradition while evolving to keep it alive.

Day of the Dead is traditionally an intimate family affair, observed with home altars — ofrendas — and visits to the cemetery to decorate graves with flowers and sugar skulls.

They bring their deceased loved ones’ favorite foods and hire musicians to perform their favorite songs.

Skeletons are central to the celebrations, symbolizing a return of the bones to the living world.

Like seeds planted in soil, the dead disappear temporarily, only to return each year like the annual harvest.

Families place photographs of their ancestors on their ofrendas, which include paper decorations and candles, and are adorned with offerings of items beloved by their loved ones, such as cigars, a bottle of mezcal, or a plate of mole, tortillas and chocolates.

Day of the Dead celebrations in the U.S. and Mexico continue to evolve.

Cesáreo Moreno, the chief curator and visual director of the National Museum of Mexican Art, said the 2017 release of Disney’s animated movie “Coco” transformed celebrations in northern Mexico and made Day of the Dead more popular and commercialized in the U.S.

American cities organize festivals, and Mexico City holds an annual Dia de los Muertos parade.

“Coco” provided a way for people who do not belong to the Mexican American community to learn about the tradition and embrace its beauty, Moreno said.

But it also made the celebration more marketable.

“The Mexican American community in the United States celebrates the Day of the Dead as a cultural expression,” Moreno said.

“It is a healthy tradition and it actually has an important role in the grieving process.

But with ‘Coco,’ that movie really thrust it into mainstream popular culture.”

With its increasing popularity, the Day of the Dead is often confused with Halloween, which has transformed how it is celebrated and people’s understanding of it, Moreno said.

In recent years, some in and outside the Mexican American community have built ofrendas devoid of color, leaning towards a more minimalistic aesthetic.

The colorful altars have been part of Mexican and Mesoamerican culture since the Spanish arrived and converted Mexico’s Indigenous tribes to Catholicism.

Some families now build altars without the flowers and papel picado — multi-colored lacy wall hangings featuring hearts and skulls — of years gone by.

Moreno said that’s OK, as long as the meaning isn’t lost.

“If people are looking to do something a little bit different, that is fine,” Moreno said.

“But if people stop understanding what is at the heart of this tradition, if people start transforming that, that is what I am against.”

Ana Cecy Lerma, a Mexican American living in Texas, suspects the minimalist ofrendas satisfy a desire to create Instagram-worthy content.

“I think you can put what you want in an altar and what connects you to your loved ones,” Lerma said.

“But if your reasoning is merely that you like how it looks then I feel that’s losing a bit of the reason as to why we make altars.”

Sehila Mota Casper, director of Latinos in Heritage Conservation, a nonprofit supporting the preservation of Latinx culture, said American businesses are trying to make money out of Dia de los Muertos as they have Cinco de Mayo, focusing on profit rather than culture.

Big chain stores including Target and Wal-Mart now sell create-your-own-ofrenda kits, Mota Casper said.

“It’s beginning to get culturally appropriated by other individuals outside of our diaspora,” she said.

Although not Mexican, Beth McRae has lived in Arizona and California and has always been surrounded by Latino culture.

She has created an altar for Day of the Dead since 1994.

She began collecting items related to the celebration in the early 90’s and has amassed a collection of more than 1,000 pieces.

And she throws a party to celebrate the day every year.

“This is the coolest celebration because you’re inviting the loved ones that you’ve lost,” McRae said.

“I threw my first Day of the Dead party in San Diego with my very meager collection of items,” she continued, “and it became an annual event.”

McRae said she tries to be respectful by making sure the trinkets she places on her ofrenda are from Mexico, and by focusing on lost loved ones.

“It’s done with respect and love, but it’s an opportunity to raise awareness to people that are not familiar with the culture or are not from the culture,” McRae said.

Salvador Ordorica, a first generation Mexican American who lives in Los Angeles, said traditions must be reinvented so the younger generations want to keep them alive.

“I think it’s okay for traditions to change,” Ordorica said.

“It’s a way to really keep that tradition alive as long as the core of the tradition remains in place.”

___ reporter Maria Teresa Hernández in Mexico City contributed.