The Day of the Dead skeleton lady Catrina is still classy and making headlines.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr , a Day of the Dead movie remake is in the works .
Mexican cartoonist Jose Guadalupe Posada originally created Catrina as a satirical engraving mocking those pretending to be “upper class”. Catrina became the most famous of Jose Posada’s drawings and ended up creating an easily recognizable “mascot” for the Day of the Dead.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of Skeleton Lady Catrina who has come to symbolize the Day of the Dead itself, and her “look” is being copied far and wide including movie and rock stars wanting a different Halloween look. Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas went for a sexy Catrina look with a red-and-black shawl and headpiece and put her photo up on her Instagram account. Sandra Bullock was snapped by photographers in Los Angeles wearing Mexican-style skull makeup and a black dress.
Andrew Chesnut, author of Devoted to Death: Santa Muerte, the Skeleton Saint and a professor of Catholic Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, chalks up the rise of the Skeleton Lady to the rising Mexican and Latin American influence in the US.
“She is kind of a perfect example of integrating both traditions and not seeing any contradiction or problems with that”
Mr. Chesnut also said more US families, not necessarily of Mexican descent, are practicing the traditional customs of setting up altars and celebrating their deceased loved ones on the Day of the Dead.
The Day of the Dead is about the gathering of family and friends to pray for and remember those who have died, primarily in Mexico. The celebration takes place October 31st, November 1st and November 2nd. Traditional customs include the creation of ofrendas, altars specifically for the Day of the Dead. Typical offerings on altars include sugar skulls, marigolds, favorite foods and drinks of the dearly departed as well as their possessions. Graveside maintenance is also an important part of the tradition.
Though becoming more popular in the US, many of those wanting to celebrate the Day of the Dead say they cannot find everything they need to properly celebrate the holiday. Nancy Alvarez of Camden, NJ explains:
“I’ve been here 20 years and I don’t do anything, It is a big thing in my country. In Mexico, it is a big holiday, everyone is off on Nov. 2. You can’t do that here”
Indeed, in Mexico the Day of the Dead is a bank holiday, with the most intensive celebrations taking place in central and southern Mexican states where Aztec influence has remained the strongest.
Despite the holiday being about deceased loved ones, celebrants stress that the holiday is not meant to be sad or somber, but rather a celebration of that person’s life.
So what do you think, will you be celebrating the Day of the Dead this year, perhaps with a nice Skeleton Lady?
