Around the world, people are dressing up and preparing for celebrations related to All Saints’ Day, such as Hallowe’en. We thought we’d tell you about one folk identity and its related traditions, and from that, we could create a fun call for entries!

In Mexico, Día de los muertos (Day of the Dead, or All Saints’ Day) falls officially on November 1… celebrations run from the eve of this holiday, on October 31, until November 2. Interestingly, the North American Halloween tradition, having spread all over the world in a more commercialized form, shares some commonalities with Día de los muertos celebrations: taking the holiday with a sense of positivity and celebration. Where the holidays differ: Día de los muertos celebrates our deceased relatives and friends, while keeping their spirits alive in our memories, and making them offerings of food and gifts, whereas Halloween focuses on costumes and candy.

Yet people dress up in Mexico, too. Based on an etching by Jose Guadalupe Posada, La Calavera de la Catrina has become an important figure expressing the spirit and folk identity of Mexicans on this holiday, and many people take inspiration from her for costumes and crafts.

Call for Entries | Catrinas

We have a fun and exciting call for entries for you this time. We’d like to see your take on Catrina! This can take any form you like: a drawing, a painting, a dressed-up figurine or doll… in fact, some of us have bona fide Catrina dolls lurking on our windowsills; Barbara’s resident Catrina is pictured here! Alternatively, you can paint your face and take a selfie, or just wear clothing that suggests the spirit of the holiday, such as a fancy hat or flowers in your hair. Here are some photos from our friends at Latinidade Austria for inspiration.

Keep in mind that if in Vienna, you can attend the Latinidade Día de los muertos event (entry free of charge) in the Weltmuseum, where face painting will be offered, and you can sample delicious food such as pan de muertos, and listen to typical music. Why not go, have fun, and get a photo taken, then send it to us? 🙂

Here are some photo contributions from me to get you started. You can submit here.

Photos: Catrina | Flower Selfie | Glove and Belt | © Clio Montrey.