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Giiwedinong’s 3rd Annual Días de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, Block Party

  • Giiwedinong Treaty Rights & Culture Museum 101 2nd Street West Park Rapids, MN, 56470 United States (map)

UPDATE

Aaniin ᐋᓃᓐ all!
Tomorrow is the day, November 1st!
Friday, November 1, 2024, in the north, Park Rapids, MN | Doors open at 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM

We are moving the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) event inside at the Armory in Park Rapids. Our neighbors are right across the street so this works out for everyone.

We will feature our relatives, Vallartas Mexican Grill, foods.
They will be serving a taco bar and beverages inside the Armory at the event for $10 a person. A special price for the communities so come hungry.

What is happening at the event?
* We will have an Ofrenda (Altar): Come and place photographs of those you wish to honor. The ofrenda will have candles and marigolds, which symbolize the sun and guide spirits back to the realm of the living. Ofrenda will be inside the Armory.
Activities Inside:

* Artist Guillermo will be painting faces to resemble skulls.
* We will have coloring activities for the kids.
* We will have DJ Ernest Oppegaard Peltier, who will play dance music.

Outside: The ponies are still making their appearance on the block at the museum, so kids will be able to interact with the ponies.

See you tomorrow starting at 4pm to 8pm.

This is a Historical Celebration happening in the north!

Gather with us at the new Giiwedinong Treaty Rights and Cultural Museum located at 101 2nd Street W., in Park Rapids, Minnesota.

The Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is a rich cultural celebration honoring deceased loved ones. This event, primarily observed in Mexico and parts of Central America, blends Indigenous traditions with elements of Catholicism. Participating in this celebration involves several meaningful activities.

  • We will have an Ofrenda (Altar): Come and place photographs of those you wish to honor. The ofrenda will have candles and marigolds, which symbolize the sun and guide spirits back to the realm of the living.

  • Activities: Engage in cultural practices such as face painting, where artist Guillermo Valadez will be painting faces to resemble skulls.

  • We will have coloring activities and sidewalk chalk for the kids.

  • Participate by attending this event, which includes music, dance, and storytelling, celebrating the lives of loved ones, and community connections.

This is not somber but celebratory.

We offer this time for ceremony, for honoring our grief, and the lives of those who have passed on. Días de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday based on Indigenous traditions that embrace the interconnection between life and death. That is this time, the time between for change, transition, and future-building.

Come to participate in building the ofrenda (offerings) with Ana Cornejo and Guillermo Valadez.

By embracing these activities, you can honor the essence of the Day of the Dead while enriching a greater appreciation for cultural diversity and remembrance. Learn about the significance of the rituals and symbols associated with the Day of the Dead. Understanding the cultural background enriches the experience and deepens respect for the traditions.

Enjoy the museum’s exhibits, music, Vallartas Mexican Grill, and so much more beginning at 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM.

Join us in this unique celebration.

All are welcome to this FREE, family, and multicultural event.

The Day of the Dead celebration or Días de los Muertos from Mexican Indigenous traditions is a strong tradition, which in many ways embodies many Indigenous teachings. Indeed it is a celebration of life and metamorphoses. That metamorphoses is really embodied in Monarch's (Memengwaa) butterflies, which were so much fewer in number but migrating still in September.

Many believe that the Monarch's (Memengwaa) return symbolizes the spirits of the dead returning to visit. The Purépecha and Mazahua, indigenous peoples of the area, have tracked the monarch's return for centuries.

Marigolds are believed to be the pathways that guide the spirits to their ofrendas. The flower’s vibrant colors and scent attract the departed souls, as they return to feast on their favorite foods. They are called “Flor de Muerto” (Spanish for Flower of Dead) and they symbolize the beauty and fragility of life.

 

Let us know you are coming! Please fill out below. We will send you an email of updated festivities for this beautiful day, and remember to subscribe for future events!

Miigwech

This event is hosted by Giiwedinong Museum and Vallartas Mexican Grill.

For Press and media, please contact Sarah Miskwaaens Migiziwigwan

Video and graphics by Sarah LittlerRedfeather AND https://dayofthedead.holiday/

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November 1

Giiwedinong Culture Museum plans for Native American Heritage Month.