By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico and throughout Central and South American traditionally honor those who have died.
On Thursday, Plaza Del Sol Mall staff along with the Mexican Consulate of Del Rio and the Del Rio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce opened a Day of the Dead exhibit in the central concourse of the mall.
The centerpiece of the exhibit was a large, wildly colorful and richly-decorated “ofrenda,” or altar, featuring photos of those who have died and mementos that were important to them.
This year, a photo of the late community leader, Dr. Jose Perez, Del Rio High School principal, dominated the top of the ofrenda, and the ofrenda was dedicated to his memory, though photos of other beloved Del Rioans who had passed were also displayed on its lower tiers.
The ofrenda was also covered with painted sugar skulls, flowers, candles, “pan de muerto,” and papel picados, a Mexican handcraft featuring tissue paper cutouts of skeletons and skulls. The top of the ofrenda, where Perez’s photo was shown, featured a variety of DRHS memorabilia.
Del Rio Mexico Consul Paloma Villaseñor Vargas welcomed those attending the opening ceremony for the exhibit on Thursday.
“Welcome to the celebration of the Day of the Dead. As Mexicans, we remember our dead, and we celebrate life. Here, we offer the dead recognition and the love that remains after death,” Vargas said as she welcomed those attending the ceremony.
Vargas explained the meaning behind items on the ofrenda and thanked those who assisted with putting the exhibit together, including Canadian artist Ana Martín del Campo, who took all of the photographs on display.
Del Campo said she met Vargas when Vargas was with the Mexican consulate in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
“She called me and said she wanted to make a really beautiful exhibition here, and I said okay,” Del Campo said, noting she has been taking photos and creating art for more than 25 years.
Del Campo also assisted in the creation of a whimsical display of costumed catrinas and catrons – skeletons – on display as part of the exhibit.
“I remember when I was younger, my father, my mother, my grandmother, would always take me to the cemetery to bring flowers and beer or wine or tequila for relatives that had died. And since my mom has passed, now I remember her. For me, it is an important tradition,” Del Campo said.
The ceremony featured a reading of Perez’s last public speech, the graduation address for the DRHS Class of 2021.
The opening of the exhibit ended with a catrina/catron contest.
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