Día de los Muertos is celebrated throughout Mexico and the United States on November 1, 2, and 6. Mexican traditions include creating ofrendas (altars) for ancestors who have passed away. Living family members decorate the ofrendas with papel picado (perforated paper), marigold flowers, and calaveras (decorative skulls). These beautiful creations are made with love to honor past loved ones. Family and friends also leave offerings like Conchas, which are Mexican sweet breads, along with some of the past loved ones’ favorite foods, drinks, or belongings.
Many Mexican Americans from Garfield Ridge, Clearing, and neighboring communities gathered in the parking lot of Kinzie Elementary School to commemorate and honor ancestors and departed loved ones during the Midway Chamber of Commerce’s third annual Día de los Muertos. It’s not just a celebration of the dead, but also for the living! Attendees observed family altars, and various vendors were present selling a variety of items. They also had the opportunity to buy delicious food from Champ Tacos and El Champon. Some of the older women were also dancing to Spanish music.
Garfield Ridge resident Deniz Evangelista, owner of Little Loops & Layers, one of many vendors at the Midway Chamber of Commerce’s Dia de los Muertos, sold handmade crocheted Halloween plushes. She has lived in the area for over four years and did not hear about the event until she joined various Facebook groups in hopes of growing her small business. She said, “I wanted to add a little something to the community and meet everyone.”
Other residents like Alexia Quiles, who was in the company of her daughter, shared, “I think Dia de los Muertos is a very important cultural tradition and necessary at least for my family because it honors our ancestors. It’s one day out of that year that allows me to be closer to them.”
Entertainment included Mariachi Sirena, the only all-women Mariachi band in the Midwest. The talented singer, Claudia Galaviz sang many traditional Mexican songs. It created a warm and inviting atmosphere where residents felt like they were in their own backyard. It was incredible hearing the mixture of English and Spanish amongst the crowds, really highlighting the diversity of Garfield Ridge and Clearing communities. This showcases Mexicans and other cultures coming together to celebrate an old tradition, heritage, and culture.
Erika Villegas, a Midway Chamber of Commerce member and organizer of the third annual Día de los Muertos, spoke with me as we watched the Holy Cross Marimba Ensemble from Back of the Yards perform for the living and dead in attendance.
“Today, we’re celebrating our culture, history, colors, and the legacy of our loved ones. There’s this saying that as long as you remember they are alive. As we celebrate life, we are remembering and bringing them back to life.”
Erika’s family, back in Zacatecas, Mexico, celebrates this wonderful tradition. Erika came up with the idea of not only introducing the Clear-Ridge neighborhood to this marvelous tradition but also inviting them to take part in it. An event like this had never been done in these communities. Her vision was to bring people together to share the richness of Mexican heritage and culture.
Erika stated her hope that those who attended, who were unfamiliar with Dia de los Muertos and not part of Mexican culture, would leave having learned a new tradition and be open to learning what Day of the Dead means to us Mexicans. It’s not something to reject, but to understand that it’s shared amongst us all. We all experience the loss of a loved one and want to celebrate their lives.
The celebration, organized by the Midway Chamber of Commerce, brought together the Mexican community in Clear-Ridge and the greater Midway area to remember loved ones, honor lives lost, and open their homes and hearts to the past for a day. It was also about cultural appreciation and honoring the shared experiences we have, and learning how similar we really are.
