history of event
Dia de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever cemetery was
originally envisioned for the purpose of providing an authentic venue,
in which this ancient tradition could be genuinely observed, celebrated
and preserved. Tyler Cassity and Deisy Marquez conceived this festival
of life as a platform which would synthesize creativity for the means of
remembering the departed spirits of our lives. This event has provided a
gateway for those who wish to re-acquaint themselves with their deeply
rooted traditions and profoundly engage with one of the most devotional
celebrations for the continuous cycle of life. At
the heart of this sacred event are the meticulously individually crafted
altars and spiritual shrines. These dazzling private tributes and
offerings which provide a linkage between ancient traditions and modern
customs chronicle the perpetual relation between faith, family and
history. Representing and understanding the vitality of this ancient
custom, Celine Mares conceptualized the necessity of incorporating this
enigmatic mystical custom to thrive within the realms of the Forever
cemetery. Interwoven into this effective
visionary ensemble lies the creative commitments of dedicated program directors,
who have continuously maintained and strengthened the core foundation of
this uniquely inspired event through providing a linkage and emerging
bond with the many culturally mindful artisans from our diverse
community. In the spirit of the goddess
Mictecacihuatl, known as the “Lady of the Dead,” and Samhain, the Celtic
day feast of the dead, Hollywood Forever has engrained and developed a
much desired and appreciated emotionally driven chord with its
surrounding community. On the eve of the 8 th year anniversary of this
benevolent observance Tyler, Daisy, Celine and the program directors continue along
with countless committed volunteers and artisans to call upon the living
to engage and summons the spirits of our lives who shaped, inspired and
left their prints engraved in our souls. By providing our community with
a genuine setting to learn the importance and significance of this
celebration, the original objectives of the founders have been realized
and internationally recognized by “tens” of thousands of new and
returning faithful visitors who have been continuously welcomed as
guests and interactive participants to this annual and growing community
based festivity.
Our Spirit of Culture Home to the oldest memorial park in Hollywood dating back
to 1899, Hollywood Forever is the only cemetery in the country which
opens its gates and welcomes its surrounding community to commemorate El
Dia de Los Muertos. Hollywood Forever is genuinely focused in striving
to bestow a memorable occasion by embracing the celebratory process of
death and dying through providing a historically recognized cultural
setting for this festive event and sacred observance. This community
based event encompasses and visually illustrates a Pre- Columbian
ancient jovial traditional view of death with a modern eclectic
celebratory observance.
history of
tradition Dia De Los Muertos is one
of Mexico's traditional holidays reuniting and honoring beloved
ancestors, family and friends. It is an ancient and enduring ritual when
the living commune with the dead – a mystical night when the veil is
lifted between their two realms and they may share a day together.
The historical roots of this celebration date back to
the pre-Hispanic cultures of Meso-America of the indigenous people,
especially the Nahua (Aztecs, Mayans, Toltecas, Tlaxcaltec, Chichimec,
Tecpanec) and others native to Mexico more than 3,000 years. When the
Spaniards conquered the country, this indigenous custom was rooted so
deeply that, after five centuries of colonization, it has continued to
survive and remain as celebrated as in its first days. Throughout each period in Mexican culture, death seems to
hold no terror. In Mexican art, legends, and religion, death has not
been a mysterious and fearful presence but a realistic recognizable
character as much a part of life as life itself. Dia De Los Muertos
expresses this perspective: it is not a mournful commemoration but a
happy and colorful celebration where Death takes a lively, friendly
expression and is not frightening or strange. There is no place for
sorrow or weeping for this could be interpreted as a discourteous to the
dead relatives who are visiting gladly. Indigenous people believed that souls did not die, that
they continued living in Mictlán (Place of Death) a special place
for them to finally rest. On Dia De Los Muertos, tradition holds that
the dead return to earth to visit their living relatives. It is believed
that although these relatives can't see them, they can surely feel
them. This night is an important feast and
evocation. It is a time when family members share memorable stories that
evoke the lives of their ancestors . Offerings and altars are created to
welcome and commemorate the dead. Marigolds and incense are offered in
abundance because it is believed their aromatic scents guide the dead to
the place where the feast is being held. . A profusion of candles
dispels the darkness just as the souls are being illuminated from the
shadows of death. Altars are created with photos, mementos, fruit,
bread, and other favorite things of the ancestors being welcomed and
honored. The artifacts of these altars also provide the opportunity to
teach children about those who came before them. Dia De Los Muertos is a time of celebration on
remembrance. It is also a time to come to terms with our mortality and
become aware of the cycle of life and death. Rather than deny and fear
death this event teaches us to accept and contemplate the meaning of
mortality.
“Life is a great surprise. I do not see why death
should not be an even greater one.”
Vladimir
Nabokov | 
