Dispatch: The Day of the Dead in Arizona

The Day of the Dead is nearly upon us here in Arizona.

Officially the Day of the Dead, El Dia de los Muertos, is Nov. 2. It's sometimes difficult to get into the spirit of a cult of the dead observance when it's 85 degrees in the shade; the cool, leaf-crunching weather of Autumn seems more appropriate, but you won't find that here at Arizonaroamer HQ in the Sonoran Desert.

Anthropologists believe the holiday developed some 3,000 years ago in Mexico with the Olmec culture, and was passed down through the milenia to the Toltecs, Maya, Zapotecs, Aztecs, Mexicans, and, finally, to the Anglo populations of the American Southwest.

"The continuity of life and memories of ancestors are celebrated and invitations are made to departed souls to return," according to the Museum of Northern Arizona, one of the best natural history museums in the region and the site last weekend of the Celebraciones de la Gente, the celebration of the people, an annual Day of the Dead event in Flagstaff. "This is not a time of mourning. Instead, candles and marigolds, sugar skulls and colorful paper banners, and dancing and music" abound. Head south into Mexico, and you'll likely see parades, religious ceremonies, and family picnics in cemeteries in pretty much every town.

The folk art of the Mexican cult of the dead has become very popular around Arizona and the Southwest over the last decade or so. It's difficult to find a boutique, gift shop, or gallery these days that doesn't sell calavera (skeletons doing human things) statues, paintings, T-shirts, and all manner of other consumer goods featuring the Day of the Dead aesthetic. Generally these art objects recreate the work, or the at least the spirit of the work, of Jose Posada, a late 19^th century Mexican engraver and illustrator who influenced Diego Rivera and many others.

Here are just a few of the Day of the Dead events going on in Arizona:

In the Vally of the Sun:

Nov. 1-2 the Mesa Art Center (1 E. Main St. Mesa) will celebrate Dia De los Muetos with "Rosita's Day of the Dead", a one-woman show featuring cooking and story telling by Ruby Nelda Perez. Also at the arts center they'll be arts and crafts from local artisans, live music and dance, food, a community altar and a procession.

In Tucson:

--Through Nov. 15 there will be an altar at Tolteca Tlacuilo in the Old Town Artisans complex (186 N. Meyer, 623-5787) from 9: 30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

--On Oct. 29 Colossal Cave Mountain Park (647-7121) will celebrate the Day of the Dead with story-telling, crafts, music, a buffet lunch, and a traditional altar presentation.