It takes Clara Romero weeks to get ready for Día de los Muertos.
It’s a labor of love, that involves making certain every detail from the tamales to the flowers are just right, and that her family members are all prepared for the celebrations.
“The older I got, the more I became to appreciate my culture and where I came from,” Romero, 26, said. “Every year I learn more about my culture and my family.”
Holidays can help immigrants, and children of immigrants, maintain links with ancestral cultures, and during the first week of November there is a lot to celebrate, with Día de los Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead, and Diwali celebrations taking place across metro Atlanta.
Keeping up with traditions
Día de los Muertos is a chance for families and friends to honor loved ones who have died. Marigold flowers, photos, pan de muerto (a traditional bread), sugar skulls, and the favorite foods and drinks of people who have died, are among the items families will place on an alter (ofrenda) for the deceased as a tribute to their lives.
Those who celebrate believe their loved ones will visit them on Día de los Muertos. The holiday is celebrated in Mexico and throughout Latin America, and its roots can be traced back to the Aztecs. This year, it was observed on Nov. 1-2.
Credit: Submitted by: Clara Romero
Credit: Submitted by: Clara Romero
Romero did not grow up celebrating Día de los Muertos, but that all changed with the release of the Disney movie “Coco.” The story centers around a 12-year-old boy named Miguel who is transported to the land of the dead on Día de los Muertos, and learns about his family during his journey back home.
By the end of the movie, Romero’s father was in tears and began opening up about loved ones he’s lost, and the holiday’s importance. Soon after, the family began celebrating.
“So the first year, we were kind of scrambling to get everything together,” Romero,26, said. “And the food, neither my dad or I cook. So we kind of improvised.”
One of Romero’s favorite parts about Día de los Muertos is listening to her family tell stories about relatives and friends, because it is, “through the stories I hear from my family members that I can appreciate who they were and what they meant to my family.”
Just like Romero, Bina Desai’s schedule is packed on the days leading up to Diwali, as her attention shifts between tasks including getting her home ready, making sure traditional sweets and food are on hand and helping to organize a gathering at her temple, Sanatan Mandir, one of the oldest Hindu temples in metro Atlanta.
Diwali is a religious festival for Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists, as it signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. Also know a the “festival of lights” Diwali celebrations include keeping lights on in the house, lighting candles and launching fireworks.
Desai grew up in a diverse community in Yorkshire, in northern England, where she would regularly celebrate holidays like Diwali with her neighbors. After immigrating to the United States, she made certain to raise her children to have pride in their Indian heritage.
“They’re both East and West. They got that blend and it’s integrated in their lives so beautifully,” she said. “What my daughter knows and what she does, she’s got the best of both worlds.”
Connecting with the past
Jennifer Zenteno understands wanting to feel a connection to the past.
Her tio Eve died when she was 11, and she has honored him on Día de los Muertos by putting out one of his favorite meal of ramen soup, bottles of Modelito, a Mexican beer, and a side of Valentina hot sauce.
“He was my favorite uncle,” said Zenteno, 28, who lives in unincorporated DeKalb County. “He was 25 when he passed and we were really close, so it definitely means a lot when I set it up.”
Zenteno believes Día de los Muertos is a “celebration of life,” and she wants to use it to teacher her toddler, Andres, about his lineage.
“I hope he has a family and when me and his dad have passed on I hope that he can set up an alter to us as well,” Zenteno said.
Credit: Submitted by: Jennifer Zenteno
Credit: Submitted by: Jennifer Zenteno
Zenteno came to United States at age 7, and still has memories of celebrating with her grandmother and extended family in Mexico. Being a beneficiary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, also known as DACA, that grants her temporary protection from deportation, she has not been back to Mexico, but dreams of celebrating the holiday again with grandmother.
“I hope she’s still around for a couple more years and I hope I can go and see her,” she said. “But just the thought of setting up an alter for her is hard. I know it’s supposed to be a celebration of life but she’s really special to me.”
Expanding diversity
The growing diversity of the metro Atlanta area is impacting the way these holidays are celebrated.
According to the latest U.S. Census data, the Asian population of Forsyth County more than tripled in the past decade. Sanika Tank, who grew up in John’s Creek, noticed that growth last year when firework displays could be seen in neighborhoods throughout Forsyth on Diwali.
“I remember last year it was weird because my neighborhood is pretty small, so it was funny to see fireworks popping up in random cul-de-sacs,” Tank, 17, said. “That shocked me”
Credit: Submitted by: Bina Desai
Credit: Submitted by: Bina Desai
Tank hopes this spike in diversity will make children of Indian decent feel a greater sense of belonging within their community.
“I think that they’ll have more brown friends growing up which I think will make a difference,” she said. “I really hope these kids will be able to make more friends with brown people and they will have more people to share their culture with.”
Georgia is also home to a growing Hispanic population, which rose over the past decade by 32%, according to the 2020 Census report. Clayton County’s Hispanic population increased by 19% and Gwinnett’s rose by 16%, the second and third biggest jumps in the state.
Celebrating Día de los Muertos with her community and family has given Romero a greater connection to her Mexican heritage.
“I feel I speak the language better, know the culture more and have a deeper appreciation for it,” Romero said, adding that she’s even mastered a few traditional dishes.
The celebrations this year were a bit different for Romero, who was in Chicago attending Naval training, but coordinated the party from afar.
She had her sister FaceTime her when the family lit the candles so they could all share in it this year.
Paradise Afshar is a Report for America corps member covering metro Atlanta’s immigrant communities.
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