DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS 2020
VIRTUAL CELEBRATION
OCT 29
Land Acknowledgment
To a Pow Wow Grass Dance performed by John Hupfield, Fancy Shawl Dancer Deanne Hupfield gives expression to the often difficult and painful history of Turtle Island—traditional lands on which we are grateful to be able to live, work, come together, and celebrate, but whose legacy of injustice must encourage us to strive for change and healing.
Papel Picado Tutorial
Learn how to create your own papel picado—the beautiful and intricate designs cut into colourful tissue paper that are a traditional Mexican folkloric art—in this contribution to the 2020 Day of the Dead Celebrations from Red Pepper Spectacle Arts.
Ofrenda Tutorial
Ofrendas/altars in honour of loved ones who have passed on play an essential role during Day of the Dead: they serve as prominent signposts showing the souls of the dead their way home. This tutorial will walk you through the basics of creating and customizing your own altar. With special thanks to Figment Projects for the contribution.
OCT 30
Take a look back at 12 years of theatre performances, music, and traditional processions! Relive the excitement of being at Wychwood Barns to revel and revere. Plus check out what happened at the opening of our art exhibition “La Cosecha/Harvesting Bones” last night.
Exhibition La Cosecha/Harvesting Bones
Take a virtual walk through the La Cosecha/Harvesting Bones group exhibition at the Peter MacKendrick Community Gallery and feel the power of artworks in various media by artists Mariana Bolaños, Mariana Cervera, Cesar Correa, Ana Raquel “Guaricha”, Tania Iraheta, and Morris Wazney—all under the gaze of our ofrenda dedicated to women and feminine power, lovingly created by the members of the Collective. Hear from the artists themselves about their work.
The Celebration through the Years: Collective Performances
Nothing quite resembles the beauty of live theatre and dance performances, but we hope this video comes a close second, weaving through years of movement, music, and meaning mimed—performed by members of the Día de los Muertos Collective. Revisit the Fire Dances by the Fosa Clandestina (Mass Grave) outside the Barns, Norma Araiza’s graceful “Taken by the Skinny,” the release of the spirits of the dead after a procession, Grupo Teatro Libre’s thought-provoking silent drama piece “Journalist,” and much more.
The Celebration through the Years: Tlacuatzin, Son Huasteco
Enjoy 21 minutes of pure energy and musical poetry from the Día de los Muertos celebration archive: The musical group Tlacuatzin embodies the best and most powerful of traditional Mexican music. Take a listen and let them transport you to past celebrations at the Wychwood Barns—or sing and move along!
The Celebration through the Years: Processions | Funeral Band | Danza de los Diablos | Danza del Xantolo
For years, the funeral procession, with its larger-than-life representations of mythical figures and its mixture of solemnity and joy, has delighted and fascinated visitors of all ages to the Wychwood Barns during the Day of the Dead celebrations. Relive some highlights from the past 12 years, as well as the Funeral Band and the high energy of La Danza de los Diablos and La Danza del Xantolo, traditional regional performances. The first is an Afro-Mexican custom from the Costa Chica of Guerrero and Oaxaca, in which devils cavort along the main streets and then hover at the entrance of the cemetery to attract the souls of the dead and take them to visit the living. La Danza del Xantolo hails from Huasteca, enacting a joint dance between the spirits of those who have passed on and those still alive.
The Celebration through the Years: Latin American Music
It’s time to move your feet, clap your hands, and dance. From past celebrations we share with you the sounds of Café con Pan (Son Jarocho), Tinkusay (Latin American guest band), Grupo Atuk (Latin American guest band), Rosy Cervantes y la Sana Rabia, and Jorge y Yuri López con Cascabel (traditional Mexican music).
OCT 31
Ceremony
We’re excited to share with you our traditional Ceremony on the third day of our Day of the Dead celebration. We are honoured to begin our traditional Ceremony with a smudging by Maya K’iche Elder Bártolo Alvárez, who will lead us through the Barns from east to west past the Community Altar, ending at the Sacred Fire with Sacred Fire Keeper John Moore. We will hear from Indigenous artist Keitha Keeshig-Tobias and Joey Twins, a Cree woman who has spent her life fighting for justice for Indigenous peoples. Performing will be the Women’s Drum Circle Kwewag Nagamowin and the First Nations Drum Circle Eagleheart Singers. We will end the day with the Aztec Dance Ceremony.
NOV 1
Cuicacalli (Living Community Altar)
In Aztec tradition, the Cuicacalli is the school of song and poetry. We share with you here a curated space that serves as a living altar for artists and community members to make an artistic offering. Enjoy poetry, song, painting, performance, and more. Featuring: Michaela Coyoli Basman M., Rosy Cervantes & Richard Fouchaux, Jessica Aguirre Carrasco, Santy “Lobo” Vega, Ballet Folklorico Puro Mexico, Jorge y Yuri Lopez, B’atz’ Recinos, Erez Sussman, Alejandra Higuera & Ana María Higuera, “Las Figo”, Mexa Leaf, Carlos Angulo, Kali Niño, Familia Monsivais, Alec Dempster, Norma Araiza & Olga Barrios, Camila Diaz-Varela, and Karla Berganza.
Teatro para Vivos
At a troubling time of deep political, social, and environmental challenges across the world, Teatro para Vivos underlines the importance of a space for creative expression dedicated to the promotion of human rights and social justice, expression that intervenes while remaining rooted in popular traditions around the globe. Witness seven short performance pieces, two of them premiers: Dentro de la Caja (Grupo Teatro Libre, 2020), Danzas del Xantolo (Grupo Folklorico Tonatiuh, 2019), Freedom of Speech (Grupo Teatro Libre, 2019), Cuando el Tecolote Danza (Tocani, 2019), Catarsis (Grupo Teatro Libre, 2019), Danzas de los Diablos (Ballet Folklorico Puro México, 2019), and Sepia (Grupo Teatro Libre, 2020).
Closing
Let us close this year’s celebration with music! Join us to the energetic, joyful sounds of Tocani (contemporary music ensemble inspired by prehispanic traditions), Mexa Leaf (traditional Mexican music), and the ever popular Cecilia Guerrero & Mariachi Viva Mexico!
VIRTUAL ALTAR
This concludes our multi-day virtual celebration for Día de los Muertos 2020 in Toronto. In this unusual, challenging year, we may not have been able to gather in person at the Wychwood Barns as we have for more than a decade, but we came together no less—in virtual space and in our hearts—celebrating life with all its unexpected twists, and honouring those who have gone before us and who guide us still.
A celebration of this magnitude and intricacy—our labour of love—would not be possible without the immense efforts mental and physical of hundreds of people: artists, volunteers, community members, social justice organizations, the supportive families of those involved, neighbours, and every single one of you who has come to participate in our celebration online. The support is overwhelming, and a simple THANK YOU / GRACIAS barely does it justice. But we appreciate all of you from the depths of our hearts.
Now let us carry the spirit of the celebration into our homes and the world, spending time with our muertitos in mind, reflecting, enjoying, holding out hope, and remembering that when we stand together as community, we are invincible, we are change.
With gratitude, hope, and solidarity,
Día de Los Muertos Collective
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