DIA DE LOS MUERTOS +

ANNUAL COMMUNITY
ANCESTOR Altar
EVENT SERIES

Sacred Remembering Practices + Celebrating and Honoring our Beloved Dead

SIGN UPS + SEND A NAME OPEN OCTOBER 1

Check the Event Calendar for updates on Dia De Los Muertos events and celebrations. All are welcome to view and use the altar without sign-up. Altar located at: 1545 McKendrie St., San Jose, CA 95126 + Altar lights extinguished at 10:30PM

WHY WE BUILD IT

Altars and ceremonial practices help us connect with deeper meaning. For many years I have practiced Sacred and Ceremonial Arts. Among these practices are the traditions of my Latin-American mother-line; the creation of ancestor altars during the time leading up to and including Dia De Los Muertos (October-November). These “ofrendas” and practices originated in pre-colonial indigenous cultures and are built today to remember our beloved dead and our ancestors; to ceremonially and ritually honor and invite them into our lives, and occupy a place of honor in our homes. This is a time of joyful celebration of life and of our continued connection to those we hold in our hearts. For many years our family ofrenda remained a private practice and held its place of honor in my home. Upon the urging of my youngest daughter and the requests of others, I began offering this sacred remembering-practice to my greater community with the building and tending of a public altera and ofrenda in my front yard for family, friends, neighbors, and strangers to participate in and interact with in the ways they felt called to. The altar is now a community tradition and all are invited to write messages or the names of their beloved dead, place images and offerings on the altar, spend time in meditation, celebration, story-telling, prayer, song or other forms of practice that brings them closer to the memory of their loved ones. Offerings left after the disassembly of the altar are blessed and tended to. Items that can be are ritually burned and released as prayers on the smoke of a ceremonial fire and sacred copal, those that can not are blessed and respectfully donated or disposed of. This community altar has become a gathering place for people to share, a bridge between cultures and generations, and a beautiful and magical space for all. I am honored and humbled by the way this offering of living history is embraced by the community and the ways in which it evolves to meet their needs and capacities.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER EVENTS

PAPER FLOWER MAKING

FREE EVENT
We gather in early October to make the many paper cempazúchitl/marigolds that will later be used to decorate the community ofrenda. This is a wonderful day of fun and crafting and is an opportunity to connect with old friends, make new ones, and learn about some of the traditions, symbolism, and practices of Dia De Los Muertos. Cempazúchitl making is a craft my Mexican grandmother Abi (short for abuelita) taught me when I was a child, and remains a favorite activity of this season. Make them for the community ofrenda and take one home for your own remembering practice. All materials are provided and all are welcome at this family friendly event.

SUGAR SKULL CALAVERA PAINTING

WORKSHOP
Learn the art and tradition of Mexican sugar skull calavera painting. Create a beautiful, durable, and meaningful symbol of a departed loved one or ancestor. Go home with a strengthened sense of community, a heart full of stories, a deeper sense of interconnectedness, and a hand made, lovingly painted, intention infused calavera for your own altar or remembering practice. All materials provided. No experience necessary.

Proceeds from this event help to cover the significant annual expenses of the community ofrenda, making it possible for us to continue offering this to all.

VISITING THE ALTAR

FREE EVENT
Monday - Sunday 8am - 10pm
October 21 - November 8, 2024
1545 McKendrie St., San Jose, CA 95126

Please note that the altar is outside and accessible to the public. Use offerings and remembrance items you are comfortable leaving in the elements, unguarded. If it is important to you that your item be part of the closing Fire Ceremony, please note that laminated items and items otherwise unsuitable for burning cannot go into the Ritual Fire. Please collect any personal items you wish to keep by the day before the Fire Ceremony or join us at 12:00 on Nov. 9th, as we unite for the loving disassembly of the altar and closing ritual fire, in the culmination of our annual remembering practice (Sign-up necessary).

There are innumerable ways and opportunities to participate and the Ofrenda will be completely accessible to all, for the entire duration of the event, from the October assembly through the November fire ceremony. Please be mindful that the altar is in our yard but respectful participation and contemplation are encouraged without time-limits, no permission necessary. The altar is always open. Sign-ups appreciated for planning purposes if participating in crafting or disassembly/fire. Please join us; many hands and hearts make the greatest magic. Our community is not defined by geographical-space but by heart-space and we welcome you into ours.

This is a family-friendly, inclusive, loving, safer space. If an offering is deemed inappropriate it will be removed, blessed, and respectfully disposed of.

No Sign Up Necessary

ALTAR DISSASEMBLY + CLOSING CEREMONIAL FIRE

FREE EVENT
Together, we lovingly disassemble the altar space and pack the items to be reused next year. Once the area is cleared, we gather around a fire, read the names of the dead, burn offerings left on the altar and paper marigolds. We use sacred copal resin (a traditional offering) and send our prayers upon the smoke. We share tears and laughter as a community. This event is family friendly and all are welcome.

Duration of event depends on number of participants and how efficiently we disassemble the altar space.

GUIDE +
Remembering Our Beloved Dead: building a personal altar and remembering practice

RESOURCES +
Dia De Los Muertos resources and book list: a collection of book suggestions curated by sister-altar-builder Natasha Bodorff, Boulder, CO

SEND A NAME +
Our Community is not defined by geography. If you wish to be a part of this practice but cannot do so in person you may send names of your beloved dead and they will be included in our altar.

BUILD + CRAFT
Learn about this sacred celebration, join in helping create the altar space for the community, make traditional paper marigolds to grace the community altar and your home altar.

CALAVERAS +
Learn the art and tradition of Mexican sugar skull calavera painting. Create a beautiful, durable, and meaningful symbol of a departed loved one or ancestor for your personal remembering practice.

DISASSEMBLY + CEREMONY
Join in reverent disassembly of the altar and closing of the altar space. Tend the ceremonial fire, sending prayers and the names of our beloved dead upon the sacred smoke.