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Gallery Oddity Going To A Party Where No One’s Still Alive

by Zoetica Ebb November 3, 2009 - 1:53 pm

Going To A Party Where No One’s Still Alive image

The historic Hollywood Forever Cemetery began to open its grounds to Dia De Los Muertos celebrations over one hundred tears ago. For just one night each year, the tombstones along its main roads are transformed into spectacular shrines honoring the dead. Friends and relatives talk about the altars they’ve created and share their memories of the departed. These colorful, glowing constructions are bedecked with candles, marigolds, sugar skulls, and personal artifacts. The latter range from photographs and childhood toys to favorite clothing and delicacies.  Each altar is a celebration of a life, complete with gifts, food, and tales of glories past -  Oingo Boingo’s song, “Dead Man’s Party”, comes to mind. Participants have less than twenty-four hours to assemble the monuments, which must be torn down at the end of the seven-hour event. In addition to admiring these temporary sanctums, thousands of visitors make their way down dimly-lit paths to feast on traditional Latin American cuisine and check out art exhibits inside the main mausoleum, musical performances, costumed processions, and choreographed Aztec dance numbers.

Words and photos by Zoetica Ebb

Dia De Los Muertos

Dia De Los Muertos

Dia De Los Muertos

Dia De Los Muertos

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2 Responses to “Going To A Party Where No One’s Still Alive”

  1. Photo Flurry 006 – Skulls, Two Birthdays and a Video

    [...] After a serious post-BBQ nap, we were off to my favorite autumn event; the Dia De Los Muertos spectacle at the Hollywood Forever cemetery. I shot a huge gallery there I’m happy with that’s up over at China Shop right now. Click here to see it. [...]

  2. Sister Wolf

    WOW, fabulous pictures! I had to miss it this year, but now I feel better. xo

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