Yakima Morelia Sister City Association

The Yakima-Morelia Sister City Association will host its 5th annual Dia de los Muertos Community Altar Exhibit in downtown Yakima. The exhibit, featuring up to 30 community created altars, will be open daily Noon to 6:00pm from Saturday October 31st through Sunday November 1st, at 319 East Yakima Avenue, (the former Yakima Mall). Admission is free. The altars are created by local businesses, individuals, organizations and schools. School tours will be held in the mornings. We expect that 600 people will visit the exhibit this year.

Dia de los Muertos is a vibrant, festive traditional celebration of remembrance in the cultures of Latino people around the world. At the exhibit, you'll learn about this rich cultural event, which is blend of Aztec traditions of remembering the dead and the Catholic tradition of celebration of All Saints Day and All Souls Day tradition brought by the Spanish conquistadors. We invite all of our Valley's cultures to share their traditions in honoring the lives of those who have died. This includes relatives, friends, special heroes, and especially the Angelitos (the little children). Our goal is to provide a shared cultural experience for our community and to bring people to downtown Yakima.

Dia de los Muertos Chamber Orchestra Concert

Join us on November 1, 2009 at 2:00pm & 7:30pm at The Seasons Performance Hall (101 N. Naches Ave.) to hear the Yakima Symphony Chamber Orchestra, the Yakima Symphony Chorus and a young musician from Morelia, Mexico perform Morten Lauridsen Lux Aeterna. Call 248-1414 for ticket information.

HISTORY

In 2005, a group of community organizations including The Yakima Symphony, The Yakima-Morelia Sister City Association, For A Better Tomorrow, the Yakima Valley Museum and individual community leaders came together to bring the first Annual Dia de los Muertos exhibit to Yakima.

Yakima's first exhibit opened with 11 altars built by local community organizations. Several downtown businesses also participated by building altars. The exhibition was very well received, and the Yakima School District was contacted to have its students tour the exhibit. Starting in 2006, the Yakima Symphony brought a pianist from Morelia's 300 year old Conservatoria de las Rosas to perform in Yakima at The Seasons Performance Hall for a Special Noche De Muertos Concert.

In 2008, we had approximately 30 altars and over 1,000 visitors, including 526 students, tour the exhibit. The special Noche de Muertos Concert featured a cellist from Morelia, and was held at the Seasons Performance Hall on Sunday November 2, 2008 in Yakima.

ALTARS

The structure of the majority of the altars is stacked boxes in three tiers. The three tiers represent birth, life and after life.

Altars can be made in many ways. From traditional to modern; commemorating loved ones, community leaders and even our pets. If you, your family, group/organization would like to build an Altar in our 2009 Yakima Exhibit, please contact Margaret at maluera06@aol.com

2008 Altar Builders

• The Yakima Valley Chapter American Red Cross
• YWCA
• Lucia Gonzales-Adams Family
• Catholic Family & Child Service Parents as Teachers Program
• Yakima Police Athletic League
• Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic
• Children's Village
• A.C. Davis High School Spanish Literature Class
• Maryrose George-Gonzalez Family
• Susan Whitman
• Terri Aguilera-Flemming
• La Casa Hogar
• Barrios Unidos
• Yakima Valley Museum
• Yakima-Morelia Sister City Association
• Allied Arts of Yakima Valley
• Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxilary
• Wags to Riches Animal Rescue
• Consejo Radio KDNA
• Adilene Delgado/Laura Rodriguez
• Heritage University
• Filipino-American Community
• Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Heath
• Los Bailadores del Sol

2008 Altar Walk Participants

• The Seasons, 101 N. Naches Ave St. Joseph-Marquett Catholic School, 202 N. Fourth St. The Yakima Library, 102 N. Third St. Red Gallery, 30. N. Third St. The School of the Arts, 316 E. Yakima Ave. The Yakima Valley Visitor Information Center, 101 N. Fair Ave. Market Place Deli, 304 E. Yakima Ave. Plaza Socievole Winery, 120 E.Yakima Ave. Soul Seeker / The Glass Kaleidoscope, 108 S.Third St. Ron's Coin & Book, 6 N. Third St. Essencia Artisan Bakery, 4, N. Third

SPONSORS

2008

• The Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic
• Allied Arts
• Fiesta Foods
• Filipino American Community
• For A Better Tommorow
• Heritage College
• Kana Winery
• KYVE-KCTS - 9 V-ME
• Pepsi-Cola
• Radio Cadena/ KDNA
• Red Cross
• Screening Mimies
• The Seasons Performance Hall
• The Yakima Symphony
• Yakima Herald Republic / El Sol De Yakima
• YPD Yakima Police Athletic League (YPAL)Achievers
• Marisol Deloza
• Doug Johnson

IMAGERY

According to Mexican Folklore, "La Catrina" --also known as death-- can show herself in many different ways. Sometimes she is dressed in a rather elaborate, festive way. This conspicuous --and perennial-- guest is paradoxically also associated with the joy of life in the face of the imminence and inevitability of death. We only live once and La Catrina, with her mischievous smile, pleads with us to seize the moment and through music --and perhaps a little dance--, find life's meaning. Marigolds, the "flower of the dead," are an important symbol. Their scent is believed to attract the souls and draw them back.

Papel picado ("perforated paper") is the Mexican art of papercutting into elaborate designs. The designs are commonly cut from tissue paper using a guide and small chisels, creating as many as forty banners at a time. Vibrant pink, orange, and purple are the key tones employed for ofrendas (offerings) associated with the Day of the Dead.

2008 Dia de los Muertos

2009 Dia de los Muertos

TOURS

Students will:

• Recognize that cultures have celebrations unique to them.
• Learn that a holiday celebrated by one ethnic culture may be honored in many countries as the cultural group disperses among different areas.
• Understand the significance of the altars in relation to a particular culture.