Dance with the Dead

October 18, 2012 — costume, Day of the Dead, Halloween, Masque

At the end of October the costumes come out of the closet. This is the big masquerade time in the US.  Other cultures have dress up traditions for Carnival and other holidays. The political side of costuming has always been woven into the idea of playing the role of another.  Well known faces or looks are popular.  In Tucson the Day of the Dead is celebrated in a grand public procession.  The costumes in this event are not intended to mimic the living, but rather to show the look of the dead.  The visit of the departed souls to earth is celebrated by glowing in the dark, dancing as skeletons, and enjoying the earthly pleasures our dearly departed ones chose while they were alive.  The happy honoring of the souls of the dead is a symbol of our connection to all the generations who lived before us.