Day of the Dead in the USA, Second Edition: The Migration and Transformation of a Cultural Phenomenon (Latinidad: Transnational Cultures in the United States)

Honoring relatives by tending graves, building altars, and cooking festive meals has been a major tradition among Latin Americans for centuries. The tribute, "El Día de los Muertos," has enjoyed renewed popularity since the 1970s when Latinx activists and artists in the United States began expanding "Day of the Dead" north of the border with celebrations of performance art, Aztec danza, art exhibits, and other public expressions. Focusing on the power of public ritual to serve as a communication medium, this revised and updated edition combines a mix of ethnography, historical research, oral history, and critical cultural analysis to explore the manifold and unexpected transformations that occur when the tradition is embraced by the mainstream. A testament to the complex role of media and commercial forces in constructions of ethnic identity, __Day of the Dead__ __in the USA__ provides insight into the power of art and ritual to create community, transmit oppositional messages, and advance educational, political, and economic goals. Today Chicano-style Day of the Dead events take place in all fifty states. This revised edition provides new information about: * The increase in events across the US, incorporating media coverage and financial aspects, * Recent political movements expressed in contemporary Day of the Dead celebrations, including #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo * Greater media coverage and online presence of the celebration in blogs, websites, and streaming video * Día de los Muertos themes and iconography in video games and films * The proliferation of commercialized merchandise such as home goods, apparel, face paints and jewelry at mainstream big box and web retailers, as well as the widespread proliferation of calavera-themed decorations and costumes for Halloween * 24 new full color illustrations "This updated edition of Day of the Dead in the USA is published in tandem with the 50th anniversary of the first Día de los Muertos celebrations in the US, when Chicano/a artists expanded the tradition north of the Border as a secular multi-media phenomenon. Comprised of public altar installations, street processions, car caravans, poetry, dance, theater, face painting, crafts, culinary arts and other community rituals done to remember the deceased, a celebration that began as a decolonial act within the Chicano community gained mainstream popularity via public art, news media, Hollywood films, the Internet and commercial venues. This edition provides new in-depth coverage of: - the increase in Day of the Dead events across the US, incorporating media coverage and economic facets, - new discussion of recent political movements commemorated during Day of the Dead celebrations, including Black Lives Matter, climate activism and the #MeToo movement, - the greater media coverage and online presence of the celebration over the past 10 years, including blogs, websites, YouTube videos and other social media related to Day of the Dead face painting, costumes, altar making, and calavera crafts, - the incorporation of Día de los Muertos aesthetics and iconography in fashion, graphic design, video games, and movies such as the blockbuster 2017 Disney/Pixar film and the 2015 James Bond film Spectre; - the proliferation of and commercialization of the Day of the Dead through merchandise in commercial venues, including items such as foods and alcohol, home goods, clothing, holiday decorations and Halloween costumes at mainstream US stores such as Walmart, Costco, and Target, - testimonials from people discussing how Day of the Dead celebrations play an important role in their lives and the influence of the celebration on new and evolving attitudes in mainstream US society around openly discussing and preparing for death Examining the influence of the mass media, commercialization and globalization on the growth and transformation of Day of the Dead in the US, Regina Marchi combines ethnography, oral history and critical cultural analysis to provide insights into the power of cultural hybridity and invented traditions to communicate about identity, history and politics"-- Provided by publisher Contents Acknowledgments Preface Note on the Text Glossary Introduction 1 An Ancient and Modern Festival 2 Mexico’s Distinctive Relationship with Day of the Dead 3 Day of the Dead in the United States 4 Ritual Communication and Community Building 5 U.S. Day of the Dead as Political Communication: A Moral Economy 6 Day of the Dead in the U.S. Media: The Celebration Goes Mainstream 7 Appeal, Influence, and Ownership 8 The Commodification of Day of the Dead Conclusion: What We Can Learn from U.S. Day of the Dead Celebrations Methodological Appendix Notes References Index About the Author Examining the influence of media, commercialization and globalization on the growth and transformation of Day of the Dead celebrations in the US, Regina Marchi combines ethnography, oral history and critical cultural analysis to provide insights into the power of cultural hybridity and invented traditions to communicate about identity, history and politics. Examines how Day of the Dead celebrations among America's Latino communities have changed throughout history, discussing how the traditional celebration has been influenced by mass media, consumer culture, and globalization