Dia de los Muertos is a way for us to celebrate life through death. To reconcile with our eminent mortality. To connect with those no longer with us.
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35mm photography by Samanta Helou
Lights illuminate the water of the Patzcuaro lake in Michoacan, Mexico. The men on their fishing boats cast nets in the shape of butterflies dancing on the water. On the island nearby, the sweet smell of champurrado, marigolds, and copal incense fills the air. The spirits of the dead have come to celebrate.
Two hours away, monarch butterflies have arrived precisely during Dia de los Muertos to fill the trees of the Michoacan forest after their long journey from Canada to Mexico. It has taken them five generations to get here. The mother butterfly lays eggs for her children to continue the journey, death gives way to life. Legend has it that the Monarchs carry the spirits of the dead.
During its journey, the monarch also passes through Los Angeles where Mexican families keep their native traditions alive.
Dia de los Muertos is a way for us to celebrate life through death. To reconcile with our eminent mortality. To connect with those no longer with us. And it is the cemetery that is central to this connection between life and death.
In the cemetery, light, nature, and structure dance with each other. Marble and grass collide. A place where tangible material connects the living with the dead. And every November, Mexicans make their pilgrimage to these sites when the spirits of their loved ones are said to enter our realm. Grave sites are decorated with flowers, memorabilia, and food and drink for the souls of the departed to enjoy. They fly into our dimension to be present at the celebration of their life.
The above photography was taken at Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery. Built in 1884, Angelus-Rosedale was the first cemetery in Los Angeles open to all races.
* All photos shot on 35mm black and white film.
¡Ay que bonito es volar
y a las 2 de la mañana!
¡y a las 2 de la mañana!
ay que bonito es volar
Oh how beautiful it is to fly!
And at 2 in the morning!
And at 2 in the morning!
Oh how beautiful it is to fly!
– La Bruja, Son Jarocho