Dia de Los Muertos in Providence

Dí​a de Los Muertos is a Mexican tradition all about celebrating life and remembering our deceased loved ones. November 1–2 are considered to be the days where life on earth and life in the land of the dead come together. This is a time when the loved ones who have passed on return symbolically to appreciate life’s pleasures, such as eating, drinking and reuniting with their families here on earth.

Día de Los Muertos recognizes death as a natural part of the human experience: a continuum with birth, childhood and adulthood. On Día de Los Muertos, the dead are also a part of our community, awakened from their eternal sleep to be in spirit with loved ones here on earth.

For 13 years, I've organized an event which invites Mexican families and communities across the state to come together to celebrate Día de Los Muertos. The event is hosted by Rhode Island Latino Arts (RILA), where I am the Executive Director. Because I am of Mexican heritage, I do this as a way to educate the general public about the true meaning of this celebration, mainly emphasizing that it is NOT the Mexican Halloween!

As part of RILA’s programming, we typically invite musicians and dancers from the Mexican community in Rhode Island to perform for a night of festivities. This year, we will have mariachis, calavera-making activities, and we will end the night by inviting community members to pay homage to lost loved ones with a procession through the cemetery.

The event this year will be held outdoors in the form of a community event at the Southside Cultural Center at 393 Broad St. in Providence. The gathering will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 1, and the procession to Grace Church Cemetery will begin at 6:15 p.m. (sunset).

A Call to the Community: How You Can Participate

As we prepare for the event, we would like to invite anyone who has lost a loved one this year to write a remembrance, which we will add to the Traveling Puertas Ofrenda. You may do this by posting a short memory on the RILA website; you may also upload a high-resolution photo. The ofrenda will be on display at the Nov. 2 celebration and will then be on permanent display at La Galeria at RILA.

This year's event will be family friendly, including a Catrina fashion show starting at 6 p.m. (all ages and genders welcome) and face painting (donations accepted) to help everyone get in the spirit of the day. Show off your creativity by dressing as La Catrina, a smiling skull wearing an elegant, embroidered hat decorated with flowers and feathers. La Catrina symbolizes a shift from the quiet observation of Dia de Los Muertos to a celebration of life!

To share a loved one's memory on the Community Ofrenda, bring a photo and memento to Southside Cultural Center beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 1. Luminaries are welcome, but please no open flames. The altar will remain in place from Nov. 2–7. You do not have to retrieve your items, but please do not leave anything of value, as all items will be disposed of.

A procession to the Grace Church Cemetery, led by a singing Catrina, will begin at 6:15 p.m. Bring a luminary to carry with you, as the cemetery does not have lighting.

For more information or to volunteer, visit the RILA website or write to Marta V. Martinez at marta@rilatinoarts.org.

Author

Marta Martínez

Marta V. Martínez is the executive director and founder of Rhode Island Latino Arts. She is also a community historian, collecting the histories and stories of Rhode Island’s Latino community, and she created Fefa’s Market exhibition at the Providence Children’s Museum.