The All Souls Procession is a unique Southern Arizona parade
that occurs every year in downtown Tucson to both mourn and celebrate the lives
of the dead. Begun in 1990 as a single performance piece to honor the passing
of artist Susan Johnson’s father, it is now a community tradition that
routinely attracts more than 100,000 observers and participants.
The procession is largely inspired by the Mexican holiday
known as the Day of the Dead, a celebration with origins in the ancestral
commemoration rites of native peoples blended with Catholicism.
Although the Mexican influence is clearly felt at the All Souls Procession with many people wearing calavera skeleton face paint and garb, it is still a very distinct and all-inclusive event. Alongside school children dancing folklórico and playing mariachi music, it’s not uncommon to see Japanese drummers, Scottish bagpipers, street performers on stilts, elaborate hand pulled floats, or homemade displays and signs.
The atmosphere at the All Souls Procession is unlike any other. It’s one part Mardi Gras and one part funeral procession with several community groups routinely marching to commemorate their particular interests. Some honor veterans lost in wars, migrants who died crossing the border, victims of nuclear disasters, beloved pets, and others. All are invited to participate and walk in the procession and it is free to the public.
This year’s procession will be held on the night of Sunday, November 6th. More information is available at allsoulsprocession.org.
(Note: A version of this article originally appeared in the newsletter of the Pima County Genealogy Society. Check out their blog for more info on genealogy. They are awesome!)
No comments:
Post a Comment