The Importance of the Mexican La Catrina
by Tara A. Spears
With social media saturated with photos of Puerto Vallarta’s giant statue of La Catrina winning the Guinness Record, many wonder ‘what’s the big deal?’ Although the 2016 Disney film spread international awareness of the Mexican custom of celebrating Day of the Dead, most people recognize the image but do not know the importance of the lady skeleton. The original concept appeared in the early 1900 as satire against the wealthy; several artists embellished the idea, culminating with Diego Riviera renaming and reinterpreting the concept into its present form in 1947.
La Catrina is an important symbol in the celebration of Day of the Dead on Novembere 1 and 2. This yearly remembrance is rich in rituals and expresses the unique and exceptional relationship that Mexicans have with death and with their ancestors. It’s a happy celebration meant to honor the dearly departed loved ones and to appreciate life while one is still part of the living.
According to art museum curator, David de La Torres, “It’s not just artist Posada and his work in 1910. There are layers of history. The image and the woman in death go back to the ancient Aztec period. Posada took his inspiration from Mictecacihuatl, goddess of death and Lady of Mictlan, the underworld.”
Sometimes Catrina is cheerful, dressed in an elaborate way, eager to have fun and even flirtatious and seductive with mortals. In other art representations, we find “the purititos/ bones,” ready to take us when we least expect it. Most commonly La Catrina is the joyful representation of death; she is an elegant Mexican skull that mocks death yet respectfully plays with death. The dual identity of La Catrina reminds us that life is here, now and forever.
According to Mexican tradition, it is believed that by honoring the death and memory of one’s deceased family gives you a sense of identity and national pride. After Diego immortalized La Catrina in a mural, she became a strong symbol for numerous Day of the Dead activities. Women paint their faces in colorful make-up and dress with elegant outfits evoking the famous symbolic skeleton. Many communities will hold contests or parades of La Catrina! Celebrations are held in the cemeteries (panteóns) where the mood is jovial and people cheerfully commemorate their lost loved ones, offering them flowers and some of their favorite foods and beverages from when they were still alive.
La Catrina is a popular tourist fascination and can be found in statue form in many local stores throughout Mexico made of wood, clay, or papier maché. These are eloquently painted and real feathers added to the hats. Many people purchase these statues and bring them back as souvenirs of their times spent in Mexico. There is no mistaking her identity, La Catrina is 100% Mexican!
La Catrina is an important facet of Mexican culture because it showcases the attitude towards dead. La Catrina is about living your true self and she’s also about not pretending to be someone you are not. No matter what you look like and where you come from you will end up a skeleton in the end with everyone else enjoy yourself now. Mexico is very unique in its view of this fact of life and prefers to take it good-humoredly and passionately.
In Jaltemba Bay, there are several days of activities planned beginning 28 October through November 2. La Catrina will be an important part of the festivities!
