Day of the Dead or “El Día de los Muertos” is a Mexican holiday that celebrates the lives of deceased relatives and loved ones.
Islanders are bringing this day to Lopez with a benefit concert by Tiempo De Lopez to raise funds for the upcoming high school service trip to Nicaragua. The event is on Nov. 2, 8 p.m. – midnight at Woodmen Hall. It will also feature a slideshow of people who have passed on and sales of Nicaragua coffee. Mamatamba, Lopez Island’s all-female vocal ensemble, will sing a few songs.
“‘Day of the Dead’ is, to me, the actual root of Halloween,” said Jaime Cordova, an organizer of the event and member of Tiempo De Lopez. “Halloween has turned to consuming candy and wearing costumes, but originally the idea was to celebrate loved ones who have passed on to celebrate their life.”
The theme of the night – Day of the Dead – was inspired by the recent passing of Greg Ewert, who started the Nicaragua service trip. Every two years since 2001, a group of students, travel to an area near Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua, to work with the Center for Development in Central America.
Cordova said that because Ewert enjoyed the Day of the Dead tradition, he wanted to honor not just his spirit, but allow the community to remember the lives of their departed loved ones. There will be an 18-foot offering altar in front of the stage where Tiempo will play. People can bring a photo and offering for the spirit of loved one, a family friend or pets.
“The offerings are things the people liked – fruit, water, coffee or alcohol and there will be a pitcher of water, a towel and soap for the spirits to use as they are coming a long way to be there that night,” Cordova said. “It’s a cool thing because the event is about thinking about those people, our roots, our ancestors and hopefully someday we will be lucky to be on an altar if someone remembers us.”
Cordova added that spirits absorb the essence of the offering. At home, Cordova has put out shot glasses of his relatives’ favorite alcohol, and when the liquid begins to evaporate it appears that they are being consumed.
Tickets, at the door, are $12 for adults, 8 for students and 6 and under are free. The family rate is $25.
