I’ve never made a Day of the Dead altar before, but if I were to make one for my dear family friend Susan Mina, I know exactly what the “ofrenda”—or offering—would feature.
Among the traditional fragrant marigolds, there’d be a figurine of Buzz Lightyear (while in hospice care, she assured us that she was headed for “infinity and beyond”). There’d be a tall frosty sugar-free A&W root beer freeze, the treat we secretly shared together whenever she babysat.
There’d be a lump of clay, her favorite medium in the world. She was an incredible ceramist, and some of my favorite plates are the ones she so carefully made for my wedding, just before she passed. She was a powerful, fierce, and jubilant woman. She will be dearly missed. With any luck, my offering would lead her back to the land of the living for a much-needed day of laughter.
Locals and travelers will gather at the Dana Adobe—aka the DANA Cultural Center—in Nipomo this Nov. 1 with similar feelings of love swelling in their hearts. Grandmother. Child. Brother. Best Friend. Husband. Wife. On this day, it doesn’t matter how they passed. It’s how they lived that takes center stage.
“The day should be filled with celebration and with activities that allow us to think about those people who have passed and allow us to rejoice in what they loved, what they liked, what made them laugh, what made them excited,” DANA Cultural Center Executive Director Marina Washburn said.
Beginning at 1 p.m., the living will start crafting paper flowers, decorating sugar skulls, and learning how to create altars that shine with as much individuality as the departed. Before the event wraps up at 4 p.m., Ballet Folklorico dancers from Santa Maria and Pioneer Valley high schools will perform in colorful outfits. Chumash tribal leaders will perform a blessing, and DANA Cultural Center docent Helen Daurio will delve into the history of the sacred space.
“Although we have no concrete evidence the Dana family celebrated this Mexican holiday in the Adobe, it is speculated that as a Mexican/Californio Catholic family, it would be in tradition to do so in this era,” Daurio said. “For many local people, this event has provided a real healing process. It’s all about remembering the good things about the dead and how much they are loved.”
Juan Francisco Dana, known as “the Blond Ranchero” was the longest living son of Capt. Dana and Mrs. Dana and lived all his life in Nipomo until the age of 98. His unique ofrenda will be set up for viewing, and locals are encouraged to display their own altars at the adobe throughout the weekend, if they wish.
Loss—in the form of enslavement of native peoples, Gold-Rush era violence, and vigilante justice—echoes through the halls of the adobe. However, Washburn believes that there is as much light as there is darkness.
“There are certainly a lot of sad stories in our history, but it doesn’t stop being part of who we are and why we should celebrate who came before us,” she said. “When people come to the adobe, they tell us they feel grounded; like they’ve come back home.”
Just as you can’t rip a page out of history without warping the larger picture, Day of the Dead suggests that the ties that bond us between the realm of life and death are forever entwined—whether we choose to accept it or not.
“Day of the Dead is a time for all of us to look back at our families and understand that those who have gone before us are still part of our families,” Daurio said. “It’s a wonderful time, and quite a reverent look at death.”
Hayley Thomas is a regular contributor to the Sun and its sister paper to the north, the New Times. Contact her via Arts Editor Joe Payne at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Oct 29 – Nov 4, 2015.