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Halloween, Tihar & Day of the Dead

Autumn is a busy time of year for cultures around the world.  Many festivals held during this harvest season today, actually began many years ago as part of ancient celebrations of fruitful crops. Haloween, Tihar and Day of the Dead are all great examples.  And, though they are quite different, all of these festivals are celebrated here in Lexington!

As home to Kentucky Refugee Ministries, a refugee resettlement agency, Lexington has gained many new Nepali neighbors over the last few years. An important festival being celebrated by Nepalis right now is Tihar. Tihar is the name for the Festival of Lights in the country of Nepal. You may be more familiar with the Hindi name for this festival, Diwali. Diwali is celebrated by practitioners of the Hindu religion all over the world. The central part of Diwali, the worship of Laxmi, the goddess of fortune, is included in Nepal’s Tihar festival, which lasts five days. During Tihar, Laxmi is welcomed into clean houses by way of entrances decorated with Rangoli, elaborate designs made from different colored powders. Beautiful paper lanterns can be seen hanging in windows throughout the country and oil lamps are burning brightly in every home. Cows, symbols of wealth in India & Nepal, and dogs are also honored during Tihar for their contributions to man. Both animals receive tikkas (red dots symbolic in Hinduism) on their foreheads, a garland of marigolds or chrysanthemums and splendid meals. The last day of Tihar is devoted to the bond between brothers and sisters. Hindus follow the lunar calendar and this year Tihar is celebrated from October 24th – 28th.  Click HERE for a beautiful slideshow of Tihar and Diwali celebrations around the world put together by the Washington Post.

(Image credit: Sarahndipity).
 

On Tuesday, November 1st, much of Lexington’s Latino population will celebrate Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Día de los Muertos likely evolved out of a mix of Aztec customs to remember those who had passed and European traditions like All Saint’s Day brought by the Catholic Spanish conquistadors. For the 6th straight year, the Living Arts and Science Center is offering all Lexingtonians a chance to celebrate Día de los Muertos and learn a bit about Mexican culture.

Aside from eating the traditional pan de muertos (bread of the dead) and visiting ofrendas (altars) at the Episcopal Burying Ground; this year, LASC will also be hosting an exhibition of Alebrijes crafted by Lexingtonians. I first learned of alebrijes while doing some research for a lesson for the Spanish class I teach. (My students made the works of art below!) These colorful works of art, usually papier-mâché or woodcarved sculptures, were first conceived by Mexican artist Pedro Linares during feverish hallucinations. When he recovered from his illness, he began to create the mythical creatures that had haunted his dreams. Today, sculptors in Oaxaca, a state in southern Mexico, continue the tradition. This form of folk art has quickly become so ingrained in Mexican culture that each fall the Museo de Arte Popular (Popular Art Museum) in Mexico City hosts a parade of community-made alebrije floats. See live footage from this year’s parade here: http://www.map.df.gob.mx/index.php/Alebrijes/live.php

 

 

Of course, if you want to enjoy lots of Halloween fun and an indoor celebration of Día de los Muertos, you can come to one of the many spooktacular programs at our branches. Check our online calendar for details!  http://www.lexpublib.org/calendar

 

Image of Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Diwali: With Sweets, Lights, and Fireworks
Author: Deborah Heiligman
Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books (2008)
Binding: Paperback, 32 pages
Image of Diwali (Rookie Read-About Holidays)
Author: Trudi Strain Trueit
Publisher: Children's Press(CT) (2006)
Binding: Paperback, 31 pages
Author: Divya Karwal
Publisher: Mantra Lingua Talking Pen (2008)
Binding: Paperback, 32 pages
Image of The Little Book of Hindu Deities: From the Goddess of Wealth to the Sacred Cow
Author: Sanjay Patel
Publisher: Plume (2006)
Binding: Paperback, 144 pages
Image of Love and Death in Kathmandu: A Strange Tale of Royal Murder
Author: Amy Willesee, Mark Whittaker
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (2004)
Binding: Hardcover, 336 pages
Author: Jon Burbank
Publisher: Benchmark Books (NY) (1994)
Binding: Library Binding, 128 pages
Image of Day of the Dead
Author: Tony Johnston
Publisher: Sandpiper (2000)
Binding: Paperback, 48 pages
Image of Festival of Bones / El Festival de las Calaveras: The Little-Bitty Book for the Day of the Dead (English and Spanish Edition)
Author: Luis San Vicente
Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press (2002)
Binding: Hardcover, 32 pages
Image of Day of the Dead a Passion for Life/Dia de Los Muertos Pasion por la Vida
Author: Mary J. Andrade
Publisher: La Oferta (2007)
Binding: Paperback, 200 pages
Image of Uncle Monarch And the Day of the Dead
Author: Judy Goldman
Publisher: Boyds Mills Pr (2008)
Binding: Hardcover, 32 pages
Image of Clatter Bash! A Day of the Dead Celebration
Author: Richard Keep
Publisher: Peachtree Publishers (2008)
Binding: Paperback, 32 pages
Image of Halloween: An American Holiday, an American History
Author: Lesley Bannatyne
Publisher: Pelican Publishing (1998)
Binding: Paperback, 192 pages
Image of Halloween Crafts: Eerily Elegant Decor
Author: Kasey Rogers, Mark Wood
Publisher: kp books (2001)
Binding: Paperback, 128 pages
Image of The Pagan Mysteries of Halloween: Celebrating the Dark Half of the Year
Author: Jean Markale
Publisher: Inner Traditions (2001)
Binding: Paperback, 160 pages
Image of What's in the Witch's Kitchen?
Author: Nick Sharratt
Publisher: Candlewick (2011)
Binding: Hardcover, 20 pages
Image of Sammy Keyes and the Night of Skulls
Author: Wendelin Van Draanen
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (2011)
Binding: Hardcover, 320 pages
Image of The 13 Nights of Halloween
Author: Guy Vasilovich
Publisher: HarperCollins (2011)
Binding: Hardcover, 40 pages