MHQ client, the Association of Death Education and Counseling (ADEC), held a webinar this past Tuesday about Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
In the webinar titled Incorporating Culturally Spiritual Symbolic Practices with Latinx Communities, Ph.D. Candidate Patricia Anne Galán-Cisneros, MA, LMSW, deeply discussed how social and clinical professionals could utilize the Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) model to enhance their culturally attentive skills related to tradition, religion, spirituality, and practice.
Exploring the Tradition of Día de Los Muertos
Patricia opened the webinar by asking attendees to recall the names of beloved family members who have passed on. She went on to describe in detail the history and cultural significance of the Mexican tradition.
Día de Los Muertos has roots in Aztec and Mayan traditions. The tradition centers around relationships, tradition, sacredness, and symbolic displays of grief.
A core part of the tradition is remembrance. Patricia described how altars can have offerings for a person’s deceased loved ones. Food, decorations, and photos that remind those of their loved ones decorate these altars.
MHQ’s marketing coordinator Errol de Jesus happily shared her altar with attendees.
Altars are decorated with marigold flowers, which have a bright color and distinct aroma that guides spirits to the altar. Spirits also travel through air, which is represented by papel picado (paper cut-outs).
Families decorate altars with items that their loved ones may have loved. For example, a toy car to represent a relative who loved cars or figurines playing instruments to represent a relative who loved music.
These symbols show that the living and the dead are still connected, and that death is a natural part of the soul’s journey.
Developing a Deeper Understanding of Grief within the Latinx Cultural Paradigm
When a person’s cultural tradition is honored in the context of their religious, spiritual and faith paradigms, it may uniquely and profoundly lead their spirit to a healing love.
Patricia explored how embracing other cultures and traditions can facilitate healthy bereavement. It’s important to acknowledge how different cultures perceive death.
Imagery from Dia de Los Muertos shows people living alongside death or even mocking death. The Calaveras or skulls sometimes refer to the La Santa Muerte or the Holy Death.
Incorporating Interventions and Methods from the Cultural Community Wealth Model
One of the ways Patricia suggested demonstrating cultural competence was to allow individuals to remember what they loved about their family member(s). It could be cuentos (stories), dichos (sayings), or even their favorite food.
Lastly, Patricia explained how Critical Race Theory (CRT) could help dismantle normative values that dictate how we are taught to mourn. As we challenge dominant ideologies through a commitment to social justice, we help create safe spaces for individuals who seek community.
