Text by Patty Cruz Lopez
Photos by Mary J. Andrade

Walk through the doors of the Martin Lther King Jr. library, in San José, California, between the dates of Oct. 16 through Nov. 7 and there is an undeniable pull towards the ascending elevators where the fourth floor button flickers on and off taunting visitors to get close and personal with death.

The elevator doors slide open and the senses are inundated by the smell of the marigold flower beckoning both the living and the dead to come and take a peek. A large black and white skull stands guard at the entrance of the exhibit called The Art of Remembrance, part of the 11th annual Día de los Muertos Celebration presented by San Jose Multicultural Artists Guild and Teatro Familia Aztlan. (more…)

Con motivo del décimo aniversario luctuoso de Octavio Paz (Ciudad de México, 1914-1998), el próximo martes 28 de octubre se inaugura en la Galería del Consulado de México, en Guayaquil, Ecuador, un Altar de Muertos a su memoria.

A las 19H00 dará inicio el evento con la proyección de la conferencia magistral que sobre el Premio Nobel de Literatura 1990 dictó Gregorio Luke en junio pasado en varias ciudades de Ecuador. El Grupo de Damas Voluntarias del Consulado, creadoras del Altar de Muertos, procederán a dar una explicación sobre esta ancestral festividad indígena mexicana, considerada por la UNESCO como Obra Maestra del Patrimonio Oral e Intangible de la Humanidad.

El Altar de Muertos en honor de Octavio Paz permanecerá abierto al público hasta el 28 de noviembre, de las 09H00 a las 12H00 y de 13H00 a 17H00, y durante su permanencia se llevarán a cabo conversatorios sobre Paz, lectura de sus poemas, y la exhibición de la película Macario (1950, bajo la dirección de Roberto Gavaldón), primera película mexicana nominada al Oscar como mejor película extranjera.

El Consulado de México, en Guayaquil, Ecuador, que está bajo la dirección de su titular, Sr. Rodolfo Quilantán Arenas, está ubicado en Pedro Carbo 555, Edificio Plaza San Francisco (antes Ecutel), 2º Piso, teléfonos 232-0964 y 232-8114.

COME ENJOY AN EVENING OF REMEMBRANCE & CELEBRATION!!

The 34th Annual Festival de la Vida, a Day of the Dead Celebration, will be held this year at 7:00 PM on October 24 & 25, 2008 at the Dr. Anthony Soto Theater (CET) at 701 Vine Street in Downtown San Jose, California.

Last year’s event was an enormous hit - heartwarming, inspiring, and fun - a delightful, intergenerational experience of culture, dance, and music. Along with regional dances from various parts of Mexico, Folklorico Nacional Mexicano will take you to Lake Patzcuaro with a dance presentation of Michoacan’s Day of the Dead celebrations at Tzintzuntan and Janitzio and the hilarious Danza de los Viejitos. Alto songstress, Vanessa Molina returns with a special homage to mothers and grandmothers. Award-winning singer Gabriela Sepulveda-Magana will belt out some of your favorite, toe-tapping songs. Musicians, Aztec blessings and ancestral offerings complete the evening.

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El Teatro Campesino, The Farmworkers Theater of America located in San Juan Bautista, California will be celebrating , the traditional Mexican celebration of All Souls Day called “Dia de los Muertos”. This event, slated to begin on October 31, was initiated by El Teatro Campesino more than 30 years ago.

Highlighting this year’s event will be performances by Esperanza del Valle who’s mission is “to cultivate and promote pride and understanding of the Mexican culture through its rich folkloric dances rooted in the merging of our indigenous, European, and African heritage”.

El Teatro Campesino and Esperanza del Valle together will present an celebration
of extraordinary entertainment. Additional events scheduled are:

• Gallery of traditional and artistic altars / ofrendas at the Playhouse

• Procession through old San Juan Bautista @ 7:00p.m. (Sat. Nov. 1st only)

• Family fun including: Face Painting, Sugar Skull Decorating, Snacks and mucho, mucho more!

•Doors will open 1 hour before show time for viewing the altars.
Performance dates and times:

• Friday, October 31st @ 8:00pm
• Saturday, November 1st @ 8:00pm
• Sunday, November 2nd @ 2:00pm

Second Weekend
• Friday, November 7 @ 8:00p
• Saturday, November 8 @ 8:00pm
• Sunday, November 9 @ 2:00pm

Ticket prices for this special event are $20.00 Adults, $18.00 Seniors/Students and $12.00 Children.

The Playhouse of El Teatro Campesino is located at 705 Fourth Street in the City of History, San Juan Bautista. Advance tickets are recommended. Purchase your tickets early by calling El Teatro Campesino Box Office at (831) 623-2444 or online at www.elteatrocampesino.com