Mexican "Día de Los Muertos"/The Day of the Dead

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HAPPY is happy to host Wellington's first truly international Day of the Dead festival, to be held on Sunday 4th November, 7pm – late, cnr Vivian and Tory St.

Originally celebrated at the gravesites of loved ones, The Day of the Dead is now celebrated in the home, the squares, the streets, the cemeteries – and this year, even in Wellington! While Mexico celebrates Día de Los Muertos every 2nd November, availability dictated that we celebrate the 'after-death'...

The spirit of Janis Joplin will not only HAPPY-ly walk the earth on November 4th but also belt out her best between 8 and 9, through the medium of Wellington band Channelling Janis.

International acts include Mexican, flamenco and Belly dancers, African drums, German and Mexican performance art and poetry, an assortment of kiwi, Mexican and Cuban musicians, and even a demonic puppet show. Face painting will be available for a small fee, and Fancy Dead is encouraged.

In keeping with tradition, altars commemorating the departed will be on display, decorated with flowers and objects reminding the living of the dead, such as photos and items they prized or enjoyed while they lived, like favorite foods or drinks The public is invited to bring along flowers, photos or other objects to place on the altars, to entice their loved ones' souls to return and party it up.

The proceeds from this fundraising event will go to providing capacity-building workshops for health promoters in autonomous Zapatista communities the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, one of the poorest in the country.

Unlike many indigenous communities reduced to accepting government hand-outs, the Zapatistas are committed to the peaceful development and provision of their own health, education and justice services, using members of their own communities speaking their own indigenous languages. This requires training in several technical areas.

We are doing our best to assist the Caracol of La Garrucha in the health sector with this important and essential work, by raising funds to enable capacity-building workshops in 2008 for the 50 health promoters of this zone.

Coming to HAPPY to celebrate the Day of the Dead will HELP us HELP the Zapatistas HELP themselves!!

Life is like a flower that
briefly blossoms
in the face of death that is eternal.

4 info, pics, interviews contact Julie Webb-Pullman 021 026 25456 Email jwebbp@gmail.com