Celebrating Dia De Los Muertos in Mexico

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 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.

 Interesting how our perspectives change as we learn more. Right now I am learning about Cultural Appreciation and Cultural Appropriation and have posted info here https://mylangaratrccarvingjourney.blogspot.ca/2016/09/cultural-appropriation.html.

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 tried very hard never to take advantage or to be disrespectful.

There are more and more celebrations, events, movies that emulate Dia de los Muertos and 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 consider.

Please note, some of these 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 

So please enjoy these post but I hope you will watch this too 



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.




Anyways I am aware and doing my best to learn, share and change if necessary. We are supposed to attend the Stanley Park http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/ghost-train.aspx

 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.