Muertos y Marigolds
It is a pleasantly warm Fall day in Albuquerque, New Mexico and mine is one of a long line of cars crawling on the bridge over the Rio Grande in the direction of Isleta Boulevard. The attraction today is the annual Dia de los Muertos parade known as Muertos y Marygolds. This is one of the local celebrations of the Mexican holiday called “Day of the Dead”. Some call it the Mexican version of the Catholic All Saints Day or All Souls Day. The general idea is that it is a day to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and help support their spiritual journey.
Albuquerque’s Muertos y Marygolds is a Sunday afternoon parade that closes many blocks of a major thoroughfare leading to a grassy, shady park where there is food, vendors, and community. Parade participants and a large percentage of the crowd that lines the parade route are painted up, masked, and otherwise decked out for the occasion. Marygolds, the traditional flower used to honor the dead are everywhere. It is a colorful and interesting slice of cultural heritage to be sure.
Following are some of my favorite images from the day … captions, when provided, precede the related picture(s) …
Parade entries include decked out cars & trucks, dance groups, floats, bicycle groups, and walkers …
Intricate face paintings are everywhere …
American and Mexican flags wave side-by-side …
Kids were everywhere and were having a ball …
Some of the crafts displayed at the fair …
A variety of traditional refreshments were on sale at the fair …
People leaving the celebration made for some interesting sights on Albuquerque’s roadways …
Originally published at www.primepassages.com.
