Crafty Chica: A fresh perspective on Day of the Dead

Honor the dead, appreciate the living
By Kathy Cano Murillo, special for GetCrafty.com

October is the month of ghosts, pumpkins and thanks to Tim Burton, a very sexy Corpse Bride. It’s also the time of year when creative folks like us think about Dia de los Muertos. The mainstreamers shop for pumpkins and candy corn, while we count down the days for November 1 and 2nd so our deceased loved ones can return for a visit. We oooh and aaah over funny Mexican skeletons sculptures and buy our sugar skull molds. It’s a win-win situation! The spirits come home for a day, and we get to have a fabulous fiesta with the preparations.

For the past 15 years, I’ve massed produced skeletons in every way, shape, form and amount. My husband and I set up five to six installations around the city and pridefully wink at each other for our unique theme ideas. We answer questions, teach classes, make custom orders and sell our work at fiestas and art shows.

But this year, the vibe is different.

Last month I was taping some segments for a national craft TV show, and my episode was on Dia de los Muertos. I had three fun and perky projects ready to go, one of them a La Catrina cigar box shrine. (La Catrina is an iconic Jose Posada image from Day of the Dead, the lady in the Victorian hat)

The night before my taping I was in my Burbank hotel room, ironing my clothes for the morning, when I noticed the news. It was Day Two of the New Orleans disaster. The footage was horrifying. I remember being so exhausted from the energy I had put into prepping for the show, and then when I saw what these other people were dealing with, I couldn’t stop crying. I kept thinking how I had to go into the studio the next day and make a festive and colorful “La Catrina” box?

I did make it through the day thanks to the great show host and friendly staff, but in my gut, I felt so weird. Almost guilty. It was just such a touchy topic for me with all the tragedy going on. I can’t explain the feeling. Celebrating death as part of the cycle of life just didn’t feel cool at that moment.

The cincher? All of the projects and supplies I used for that Day of the Dead taping - I packed them in a box and left them at the studio to be shipped home.

That box never made it to my house.

Somehow, it got lost and no one can find it. I’m not asking for any Twilight Zone music here. I just think it is quite fitting and a sincere wake-up call from the universe for me to stop and appreciate what the true meaning of Dia de los Muertos is all about.
Even though I know all about the topic, sometimes I have to remind myself of it's core intent.

It’s not about thinking of a new and fantastic craft to make or throwing the hippest party. It’s simple. It’s just about giving love to those who have passed on, with or without fluffy skulls or pretty paper banners. It’s about remembering to offer love and affection to those who are still alive, so we won’t have any regrets later.

It’s about celebrating the cycle of life – before and after we pass on.

Sure the preachy-preachy stuff sounds great on paper, but actually taking the time to look someone in the eye and say “Thanks!” or “I hope you have a great day!” or even "I love you" – it’s so easy to take for granted!

My other reminder: Every Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m., I leave my house, fuzzy-eyed and grumpy to take my 87-year-old Nana to her three favorite destinations: church, breakfast at Denny’s and then three hours of grocery shopping. She has a squeaky walker and insists on choosing her own groceries, right down to the eggs in the carton (“I like the bright white ones!” she says). I swear, every Sunday morning at 6 a.m. I think of an excuse to back out. I’ve had some good ones and have even used a few of them. But as much as I hate to drag myself out of bed at that ungodly hour, at the end of the Nana adventure, I feel good. Because I know she feels good. I often have visions that one of these days she isn’t going to be here and I’ll be pissed at the times I cancelled.

So I decided to bend the rules this year. I’m making two shrines: one for the living, and one for the dead. They both will have shiny candles, twinkling lights, fresh flowers, beautiful images and sentimental thoughts for those who are dear to me. However, while the latter ofrenda will rest above my fireplace, the former one will stay put in my heart and mind so I can try my best be grateful the living. Not only with Nana, but also to the sweet co-worker who always asks me if I want anything from Starbucks, to my sister who takes my kids to the movies whenever she sees that my husband and I are swamped with art orders.

So this year when you are making calaca (skulls) crafts or assembling your altar – stop, take a deep breath and close your eyes. Remember that the roots of these rituals date back more than 3,000 years when the Aztecs lined the skulls up in rows and regarded them as trophies representing death and rebirth. It was serious bizniz...

It really does make everything clear and so much more meaningful. I know from first hand experience!

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Kathy Cano Murillo is a book author and artist from Phoenix, Arizona. You can see more of her work at www.CraftyChica.com