The Day of the Revolution

Well it seems that lately, every time one turns around it’s another holiday here in Mexico. November 20th marks the anniversary of the 1910 start of the popular movement which led to the overthrow of dictator, José de la Cruz Porfirio Díaz Mori. This movement while ushering in over a decade of civil war ultimately led to the promulgation of the nation’s constitution in 1917. This year the holiday is officially celebrated today, on the 16th giving the population of Mexico a taste of that beloved American tradition, the three-day weekend.

HOWEVER, today we find ourselves with another reason for celebration that hits much closer to home. Last night the Indianapolis Colts defeated the guiles of Bill Belicheat & the New England Patriots with a 35-34 victory that was not secure until the last nine seconds of the game. Above Caleb is displaying his enthusiasm early this morning upon learning of the triumph. (Though the game was exciting, the main attraction for Caleb was the popcorn and rare, highly-coveted, American root beer that nearly always accompany a good Sunday night NFL game in this house.)

The Day of the Dead

Down in Mexico and in many Latin American countries the first day of November are set aside to honor those who have died. El Día de los Muertos or “the day of the dead” is a time to remember and honor loved ones who have departed from this life. These individuals, be they in the family or simply important figures in history are commemorated by the construction of makeshift altars. These altars may be erected in homes, cemeteries or in some cases, the sides of streets and sidewalks.

For many, this ritual is a way of continuing to publicly show respect for the deceased. For others, this tradition is coupled with the beliefs that the dead are more likely and willing to commune with the living during these two days. Some of the items that are placed on the altars are the favorite foods of the deceased along with models & artifacts that symbolize activities and possessions that were cherished by the departed. Some individuals hold picnics and “camp-outs” (of sorts) in the cemeteries in order to be as physically close to the deceased as possible. The above photograph is replica of a man and his wife dressed up for a night on the town. Rather than being disrespectful, these two figures are intended as a humorous and honoring portrayal of their lives on earth.

Close to our side of campus was this remembrance to José Vasconcelos, the founder of: The Foreigners Center for Learning.

Each year our university will pick an individual from history to memorialize. This year Edgar Allan Poe was the late recipient of this prestige. Here is a display that portrays the events found in his short story: The Tell Tale Heart.

Another exhibition of one of the much-lamented authors works. (Any guesses as to the name of the story portrayed here?)

A close up of the detail that goes into these presentations.

A final shot with students in the background to give an idea of these size of these spectacles.

*Disclaimer: To those having graduated from UNC, I realize that such examples of creative genius and free expression may appear quite commonplace. For us in Mexico, we only get to witness such expulsion of artistic aptitude once a year. (Heck, I may have unwittingly captured some of your former classmates in the photos here. Please drop me a line if you noticed a familiar face.)