By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
Over 400 people attended the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration held at Plaza del Sol Mall Wednesday evening.
The event was organized by the Mexican Consulate in Del Rio, with several businesses and organizations joining to help bring the cultural atmosphere to life at the mall. Mexico Consul Paloma Villasenor Vargas, who spearheaded organizing the event, said the annual celebrations have been taking place at Plaza de Sol Mall for five years.
When entering the mall from the entrance near Applebee’s Grill and Bar, you see papel picado, a traditional Mexican decorative craft, hanging off the ceiling. Once you make it to the center of the mall, you will also find altars set up throughout in different locations. The altars were set up by different organizations, including the Brown Plaza Association, Heritage Academy and Del Rio High School.
Art from Sara Elia Art Academy of Ciudad Acuña was on display, and the art represented famous imagery of Dia de los Muertos, including canvases of sugar skulls and sculptures of skeletons wearing sombreros.
In front of Burlington there is another altar, which has makeshift canoes and mannequins inside them. Villasenor said the canoes represent the fishermen from the state of Michoacán,
Mexico, where Monarch butterflies overwinter, following their fall migration from the United States. Villasenor said on Nov. 1, the eve of Day of the Dead, fishermen of Michoacán gather at Lake Patzcuaro and bring out a collection of canoes with flowers, candles and altars for the dead. She said the fishermen also bring fishing nets, which represent the Monarch butterflies.
“The ships and the altar honors our community’s loved ones, relatives and friends who have passed away,” Villasenor said.
The canoes also pay tribute to loved ones who have passed in recent years, including Judge Joey Gonzalez and Fire Chief Joe Harrington, along with Mexican actress Silvia Pinal. The altar was created by the Brown Plaza Association, which pays tribute to Guillermina “Mina” Arredondo Martinez, the mother of Dolores Martinez.
Dance performances were also presented by the Folkloric Ballet Cotzal group, who performed dances from Michoacan, and the Del Rio High School (DRHS) Dance Company. Hot chocolate and conches (Mexican sweet bread) were given to the people who attended by members of the Ramada Inn.
The event ended with the Catrina and Catrin costume contest, which celebrates the artistic style of Dia de los Muertos. The contest had five categories based on age groups and an overall winner, which was awarded to Victoria Salinas Cruz.
