RETURNING SOULS DAY OF DEAD CELEBRATION A LIVELY AFFAIR.Byline: Dana Bartholomew Staff Writer CANOGA PARK - The first Dia de los Muertos Día de los Muer·tos n. See Day of the Dead. [Spanish : día, day + de, of + los, the + muertos, pl. of muerto, dead.] celebration in Canoga Park did more than beckon beck·on v. beck·oned, beck·on·ing, beck·ons v.tr. 1. To signal or summon, as by nodding or waving. 2. departed souls to the Old Town strip of Sherman Way. The Day of the Dead festival also brought the best in Mexican folk dancing, mariachi music, skeletal arts and spicy foods to thousands of partygoers between Canoga and Jordan avenues. ``This is great,'' said Raul Gomez, 35, of Canoga Park, accompanied by his wife and two young children. ``We are enjoying ourselves. I hope next year all the people will do it again.'' They probably will. Sunday's street fair drew an estimated 15,000 visitors despite steady morning rain, organizers said. The event also raised thousands of dollars to boost business on Sherman Way. While tents lined a closed-off median peddling tortas, roasted corn, barbecued ribs and other fare, a main stage featured acts from dancers and salsa musicians to the Canoga High School jazz band. ``We do remember our dead people,'' Aztec dancer Adolfo Arteaga of East Los Angeles East Los Angeles, uninc. city (1990 pop. 126,379), Los Angeles co., S Calif., a residential suburb of Los Angeles, in an industrial area. It has a large Mexican-American population. There is a performing arts center and a cultural center. A junior college is there. , wearing a spectacular feathered headdress headdress, head covering or decoration, protective or ceremonial, which has been an important part of costume since ancient times. Its style is governed in general by climate, available materials, religion or superstition, and the dictates of fashion. and eagle mask, told a crowd between drum beats. ``Even though we have different beliefs, it's what this America is all about.'' The tradition of Dia de los Muertos began in pre-Columbian Mexico and stems from the belief that the souls of dead relatives return each year to visit and be entertained by their relatives. The holiday, besides being reverent rev·er·ent adj. Marked by, feeling, or expressing reverence. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin rever , is also joyful. Altars adorned with photos, skulls and fresh foods and drinks, are prepared for visiting souls. Marigolds, symbols of the departed, mark pathways to family shrines. At home, the Gomez family placed pictures of bygone ancestors next to bowls of fresh fruit, pumpkins and candles. ``It's extremely important,'' Arteaga added. ``It's like breathing, it's a connection to Mother Earth, to our loved ones loved ones npl → seres mpl queridos loved ones npl → proches mpl et amis chers loved ones love npl (and) to our (Mexican) identity as well.'' The event, hosted by the Canoga Park Improvement Association and sponsored by Main Street Canoga Park, raised an estimated $125,000 - including a $100,000 check from State Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Van Nuys - for the Canoga Park Main Street, Improvement Association and Community Center programs. Funds will be spent on landscaping, street cleanup and paint and signs for local businesses in order to attract new stores and shoppers to the once flagging district. On hand for Sunday's celebration was Alarcon, City Councilman Dennis Zine and a representative of U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman Bradley J. "Brad" Sherman (born October 24 1954) is an American politician. He has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1997, representing California's At-large congressional district. , D-Woodland Hills. The day ended with a procession to Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church. Some, however, remained skeptical about their spiritual guests. ``I haven't seen any dead relatives,'' said Sandra Martinez, 21, of Canoga Park, selling her mother's homemade Dia de los Muertos sugar skulls and dolls. ``I don't expect any (either).'' Another Day of the Dead Festival, sponsored by the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. Latino Arts Council An arts council is a government or private, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts mainly by funding local artists, awarding prizes, and organizing events at home and abroad. and CultuAztlan, was held across from the San Fernando San Fernando, city, Argentina San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. Mission in Mission Hills. A blessing of the altars ceremony was scheduled at sunset. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Kids are shown how to draw skull masks at the festival at the Dia de los Muertos festival held Sunday for the first time on streets of Canoga Park. (2) Skeletons are all dressed up. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News |
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