Start Date
31 October -  
End Date
4 November 2016
Artist
dia de los muertos wellington
Main Image
day of the dead poster
Opening
Opening Hours
Varies (refer to programme on Facebook)
Description

As every year for the past 8 years, we are celebrating the 2016 Day of the Dead. This is a multicultural community engagement for the celebration and expression of the immortality of life, our ancestors and the transition through death, where everyone is welcome to participate and share the fun.

The Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) is an ancient tradition when Mexicans honour the spirits of their deceased ancestors, paying homage to the short time life has as a flower on earth, with colourful altars in their homes and all-night vigils in cemeteries. It is a celebration of both life and death, reminding us of the cycles we are all a part of.

The Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico can be traced back to a pre-Columbian past. Rituals celebrating the deaths of ancestors had been observed by these civilizations perhaps for as long as 2,500–3,000 years. In the pre-Hispanic era skulls were commonly kept as trophies and displayed during the rituals to symbolize death and rebirth. The festival that became the modern Day of the Dead fell in the ninth month of the Aztec calendar, about the beginning of August, and was celebrated for an entire month.

Jorge Herrera (Mexican) is the Founder and Director, and he is helped by a handful of Coordinators/Commitee members. We are all very connected to various communities, whether it be for celebrating culture, diversity, music, food, art, poetry, dance...

This year we have SIX MODULES: ART, PERFORMANCE (including theatre), MUSIC, EDUCATION, SPIRITUALITY and CREATIVE PLAY (for kids).

Facebook event