today is the day of the dead, a mexican holiday to honor and celebrate the deceased. there is an annual procession that walks down 24th and 25th streets and this year for some reason it came down our street. we watched from our steps as hundreds of people walked past our house carrying candles, wearing costumes, dancing, chanting and playing drums. there were bands, children, bicycles, strollers and even a float. there are altars set up at garfield park where people are encouraged to add flowers and photos of loved ones who have died.
here is the altar i put together to celebrate friends and family we have lost.
from left to right: adam and gisela bittleston – mathew’s grandparents; paul chisholm – a childhood friend of mathew; phillis and jim skellam – mathew’s grandparents; rick skellam – mathew’s uncle; winfred jang – janeen’s grandfather; ‘gung-gung’ andy chan – janeen’s grandfather; debbie kim – a high school friend of janeen; wil mckissock – a high school friend of janeen and mathew; yuen c.m. jang – janeen’s ‘bau-po’ great aunt, and the reason janeen’s father was able to move to the united states as a child; david kessler – a high school friend of janeen and mathew; greg gize – a childhood friend of janeen.
i love that you guys did this, thanks so much. that picture of rick… really means a lot to see that. thank you!
glad you appreciated our altar. i got really swept up in the day of the dead festivities. what a great tradition to honor the ones we’ve lost. also it’s been an emotional week. i just came back from a memorial service for a high school friend. hugs to you. -j.