So it's October and I remember seeing videos of Dia de Los Muertos and wanting to go to Oaxaca so bad and there were lots of things that almost stopped us but we made it in 2012 and I have all these wonderful video of the event. If you look back through the blog posts you will see most detailed info relating to our time there. A little background here, my daughter is half Mexican and half "Canadian" but as I pointed out I have a mixed heritage of Songhee, Metis, Swedish, Portuguese, Bohemian. So to that add Mexican for Angel.
Because I came home and she was born in Canada, and we did not return to Mexico until she was six I felt VERY strongly that we go back and learn about her culture, language and geography. We spent 3 winters in Mexico.
Now fast forward to now. We haven't been back in 4 years. It's really upsetting me because I feel she is forgetting many things about the Mexican culture. At the same time we are both in the education system. I just started this course and she's in high school. So in my course we are currently looking at Cultural Appreciation and Cultural Appropriation https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/09/cultural-appropriation.html.
A term I wasn't familiar with yet I understood it for the most part, trying to put it into words is another story and the video below does a great job of explaining it. I like videos, I learn well from visuals.
Interesting how our perspectives change as we learn more.
I was never familiar with these terms Cultural Appreciation and Cultural Appropriation I have for many years since some of my first visits to Mexico (when I was terribly naive and ignorant of customs/beliefs/language) tried very hard never to take advantage or to be disrespectful.
Lately there are more and more celebrations, events, movies that emulate Dia de los Muertos - which if you are not aware translates to "Day of the Dead" in Spanish.
I felt it is important to address it in this post. I want to point out I am not an expert on this and I am sharing this information for you to consideration.
Please note, some of these videos are long, some repeat a bit as they were edited, remade, shortened etc from the original postings while in Oaxaca and then later on.
http://youtu.be/Sxp-h-L10X8 Halloween in Oaxaca
http://youtu.be/2KcfvqjWZWE Día de los Angelitos - Morning
http://youtu.be/ZV5gNG2BJDo Día de los Angelitos - Complete Version
http://youtu.be/g0Ki6T1k_uI Día de los Angelitos-Nov 1 2012- Part 1
http://youtu.be/_NeubaH_s8w Día de los Angelitos -Nov 1 2012- Part 2
http://youtu.be/q2dEXQf13d4 Dia de Los Muertos in Oaxaca City 2012- Part 2
http://youtu.be/4g6sr2EUAlk Dia de Los Muertos in Oaxaca City 2012- Part 3
http://youtu.be/pjYcvcKOxMA Las Catrinas-Dia de Los Muertos-2012
http://youtu.be/iqmHNVcClXA Musicians de Oaxaca- Dia de Los Muertos
This video is very enlightening, it is long but very helpful in understanding the concepts presented.
Now looking back at this, is it Cultural Appreciation or does it have elements of Cultural Appropriation. I never made any money from these..although Youtube has...by putting ads on it.
We actually gave the dresses away after and we've never painted our faces since.
Anyways I am aware and doing my best to learn, share and change if necessary.
We are supposed to attend the "Stanley Park Ghost Train- Day of the Dead"
http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/ghost-train.aspx
I am very curious to see how it is done. I have always loved their performances in the past and I am really looking forward to it but I have hesitations to as I do hope it is educational and culturally appropriate and deeply appreciative and respectful of this very very special celebration.
Earlier, I was thinking it would be so fun to dress up as Catrinas. But this year Angel doesn't want to dress up, whether it is because she's 14, maybe this teenager/ high school thing or maybe deep down she knows maybe it's not quite right...I am not sure.
After watching the video...about Cultural Appreciation and Appropriation has me questioning whether it's right to actually dress as a Catrina if one is outside of Mexico. Definitely something to give thought to and have conversations about.
