Día de los Muertos Celebration – Houston Public Media

Town Square with Ernie Manouse airs at 3 p.m. CT. Tune in to 88.7FM, listen online or subscribe to podcast. Join the discussion at 888-486-9677, [email protected] Where @townsquaretalk.

Día de los Muertos (“Day of the Dead”), is a holiday celebrated in Mexico and various Latin American countries from November 1 to 2, during which the lives of deceased relatives are honored and remembered by their loved ones.

Families will make altars at home and place ofrendas, or offerings, of their deceased loved one’s favorite foods, drinks and keepsakes to honor and celebrate their memory, instead of mourning them.

Our expert panel explains the cultural, historical and spiritual significance of Día de los Muertos and gives context to the various traditional objects associated with the holiday such as calaveras, marigold flowers and pan de muerto.

For more information on Day of the Dead and its history in the United States, Dr. Regina Marchi’s book, Day of the Dead in the United States: Migration and Transformation of a Cultural Phenomenon, is a great resource.

To learn more about Mexican and Mexican-American traditions, visit Casa Ramirez for their annual Día de los Muertos celebration which features altars, folk art, jewelry and paintings by local Mexican artists. For more information, click here.

If you are interested in pan de muerto, visit an Arandas Bakery near you.

Guests:

Dr. Regina Marchi

• Associate Professor of Journalism and Media Studies, Rutgers University
• Affiliate Professor, Rutgers Center for Latin American Studies
• Author, Day of the Dead in the United States: Migration and Transformation of a Cultural Phenomenon

Carlos Aguilar

• Former broadcast journalist
• Media education teacher at Sharpstown High School
• Master of Ceremonies at the Casa Ramirez Folk Art Gallery

Ricardo Hernandez

• Director of Operations, Arandas Bakery – Beechnut location

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