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Today is D\u00eda de los Muertos. It\u2019s a time when people celebrate the lives of those who’ve passed on and remember family members, close friends, pets and even strangers.<\/p>\n
The holiday holds a special place for many people as a way to grieve those who have died and keep their memory alive. People usually celebrate with an ofrenda that has photos of their loved ones, their favorite meals, marigolds, pan de muerto, sugar skulls and other items that have meaning to those being remembered.<\/p>\n
In celebration of the holiday, LAist asked readers: What is a memory of a loved one you would like to share for D\u00eda de los Muertos? We heard from people across Southern California about those favorite moments, and this digital ofrenda is meant to highlight those memories.<\/p>\n
Remembering loved ones<\/p>\n
Joanne Pineda of Monterey Park has made a tradition of celebrating D\u00eda de los Muertos with her family. She said she\u2019ll always remember the time when her dad asked her mom to dance to Neil Young\u2019s \u201cHarvest Moon\u201d in the living room.<\/p>\n
\u201cThinking about it now really brings me tears because it just brought them so much joy. It brought them close together,\u201d Pineda said. \u201cFor me to be there, to see that, how special it was to them I just think about it all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joanne Pineda’s parent’s photo sits on an ofrenda to remember their lives.<\/p>\n
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Courtesy of Joanne Pineda<\/p>\n
)<\/p>\n
Joanne Pineda currently has an ofrenda in her home where she has photos of her parents, family members and a pet who have since passed away.<\/p>\n
(<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Joanne Pineda<\/p>\n
)<\/p>\n
She currently has her own ofrenda where she has photos of her late parents, family members and a pet. She plays “Harvest Moon” for her parents every year on D\u00eda de los Muertos and hopes they\u2019re still dancing.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Araceli Guillen remembers her father, Antonino Ra\u00fal Guill\u00e9n \u00c1lvarez, who passed away earlier this year. \u201cPapa te extranaremos mucho\u201d<\/p>\n
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Courtesy Araceli Guillen<\/p>\n
)<\/p>\n
For Dia de los Muertos, Araceli Guill\u00e9n-Tuerpe is remembering her father \u2014 Antonino Ra\u00fal Guill\u00e9n \u00c1lvarez \u2014 who died earlier this year. Her father came from Mexico to the U.S. about 50 years ago and settled in the San Fernando Valley. He instilled in his children the need to get an education, but Guill\u00e9n-Tuerpe said her father always filled her childhood with music. He played the guitar and violin and sang all the time, especially classic mariachi songs like \u201cCielito Lindo\u201d by Pedro Infante.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was in a retirement music group, so he was playing music until the very end with his group,\u201d said Guill\u00e9n-Tuerpe.<\/p>\n
One of her fondest memories of her father happened during the pandemic. She was celebrating her daughter\u2019s 10th birthday over Zoom, but the distance didn’t keep her father from making the day special when he hopped on the call and sang \u201cLas Ma\u00f1anitas”.<\/p>\n
Sharing memories of family and friends <\/p>\n
“My Father loved the flower, Marigolds. Back in our country, when I was a little girl, my Father always brought home bunches of Marigolds. He then divided them into smaller groups, trimmed them and arranged those flowers into vases, and put them on the altar, prayed under Buddha and ancestors. When we settled in [the] USA, he was very happy to see those flowers again. Marigolds brought him back to Vietnam, I guess. When he was old. He could not drive anymore, he always told me to find and get him these flowers until he passed away, 5 years ago. Now whenever I see the flowers I miss my father very much. I got some, put them in a vase, and put them on the altar, for my dear father hoping and wishing that his soul is still with me, from above [he] would be pleased to see his favorite flowers, Marigolds\u2026” \u2014 Anh Suong Nguyen<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\u201cMy mother had a very unique laugh, I miss it daily.\u201d \u2014 Pilar Reynaldo<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\u201cMy husband was a sweet gentle man who played a mean violin. He left much too soon.\u201d \u2014 Liz<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\u201cMy dear friend Terri Villa-McDowell passed away last week. She was a passionate advocate for justice and was the force behind LA vs. Hate, a multi-agency effort by LA County Human Relations Commission, 211LA and a host of nonprofits, including the Western Justice Center, to raise consciousness about hate crimes, support survivors and build bridges to foster pluralism and democracy. She was also a thought partner, source of inspiration and cheerleader for all of us in the conflict resolution field.\u201d \u2014 Elissa Barrett<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\u201cBest memory of my mom was taking her to the Mariachi Festival at the Hollywood Bowl the year that Antonio Villaraigosa was elected mayor. He made a surprise appearance at the concert and as he made his way in, he walked in front of our box. My mom instinctively reached out for him and told him in Spanish “Usted es mi gallo”. which translates loosely to \u201cyou are my rooster\u201d but means more like he was her champion. He was very touched by her comment and kissed her on the cheek. My mom was glowing. Still brings tears to my eyes.\u201d \u2014 Claudia Cardenas<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
\u201cMy mother-in-law recently passed away. She loved her garden and would happily wander around caring for the beautiful plants. It was one of her favorite things to do. I will always remember her in the garden.\u201d \u2014 Clarissa Meecham<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Sheena Kadi said this November will be two years since her chosen mom \u2014 Lucille Ruibal Rivera \u2014 died. On Kadi\u2019s ofrenda, there are photos of Lucille, souvenirs from their travels together, candles, her favorite bottle of tequila, a pair of sunglasses and a feather from a hat she wore often. <\/p>\n
\u201cAll these feathers kept falling out of it. So everywhere she went where she wore it, she would leave a trail of feathers behind,\u201d Kadi said.<\/p>\n