June 1, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Dia De Los Muertos Finale

By Sam Skopp

 

Starting on October 26th and lasting through November 4th, the City of Santa Monica hosted a series of eight Dia de los Muertos celebrations all around town. The festivities began with an art exhibition at Santa Monica High School’s Roberts Art Gallery titled “Honoring Our Ancestors—Guiding Our Futures,” and included three separate celebrations on November 2nd, the final day of the holiday, in three different Santa Monica neighborhoods. The final event scheduled for this series of celebrations was a festival in Woodlawn Cemetery on Saturday, November 4th, which featured live music and performances, Mexican food trucks and vendors, sugar skull decorating, a memory wall for lost loved ones, and much more.

Martin Espino was one of the day’s musical performers. Espino is a Los Angeles County-based musician, who performs precolonial indigenous Mexican and South American music with his group Mexika. Espino filled two table with more than 15 different instruments from various periods throughout Mexican and South American history, all of which he would play during his performance. Espino joked that he was scheduled to perform 60,000 years of culture in 30 minutes.

Additionally, in honor of Dia de Los Muertos, he read three poems taken from the Aztec tradition, which questioned reality and explored the philosophy of death, during his performance time.

“No one can stay behind. Not even the kings, not even the princes. Not flowers. Nothing,” said Espino, expanding upon the nature of these poems he picked for the holiday.

He explained that in precolonial Mexican culture, in urban areas that functioned as educational centers, the philosophy that life is short was widely discussed, and instead of taking a hedonistic approach to life’s brevity, indigenous Mexicans during that period rather saw it as an excuse to live the best life they possibly could.

“There was a great preoccupation with self-betterment,” Espino said. “A lot of people don’t know that because the Spanish didn’t write about it.”

In addition to Espino’s performance and philosophising on death, Woodlawn Cemetery’s Dia de los Muertos celebration also included performances by Mariachi group Trio Bolero, the Grandeza Mexicana folk ballet company, face painting, marigold offerings for the dead, Mexican embroidery clothing by Doña Inez, food by the Los Tamaleros truck, the Churro Company and more.

Photos: Sam Skopp.

 

For more information on Martin Espino’s music and educational endeavors in music, visit martinespino.com and for more information on upcoming Santa Monica city events, visit smgov.net.

Tags: , , , , in News
Related Posts

Defensible Space, Defined: How A Plus Tree Protects Communities from Wildfire

May 30, 2025

May 30, 2025

In the wildfire-prone landscapes of the Western United States, safeguarding homes and communities requires proactive measures. A Plus Tree, a...

WeHo Pride Weekend Begins and 2025 Icons Announced: Parades, Concerts, and Community Celebration Kicks Off

May 30, 2025

May 30, 2025

Three-Day LGBTQ+ Festival Features Performances by Lizzo, Maren Morris, and Kim Petras West Hollywood is preparing to kick off its...

Palisades Village to Reopen in 2026 with Revamped Retail, Dining, and Community Spaces

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Elysewalker Set to Return With Park Reconstruction, Holiday Events, and Streetscape Upgrades Palisades Village, the open-air shopping and lifestyle destination...

Bel Air Seventh Grader Reaches Finals of Scripps National Spelling Bee

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Oliver Halkett of Mirman School Competed on Thursday for a $50,000 prize Thirteen-year-old Oliver Halkett, a seventh grader from Mirman...

(Video) Signs That Your Aging Loved Ones Are in Need of Caregiving

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

To Find Out More, Go To Safelyhomeagain.com To Find Out More, Go To https://t.co/ZCPyKHj5aq pic.twitter.com/cDTEPjfA6s — Westside Today (@WestsideLAToday) May...

Two Men Charged in Culver City Kidnapping and Robbery After Victim Forced to Withdraw Cash

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Suspects Allegedly Abducted Man at Gunpoint, Drove Him to Multiple Banks  Two men have been arrested and formally charged in...

Salt & Straw Unveils Summer Pie Series with Five Seasonal Ice Cream Flavors

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Five New Flavors Inspired by Classic Summer Pies Will Be Introduced Salt & Straw is giving summer a scoopable twist...

(Video) Interviews with Rick Caruso and Elyse Walker, with a Dennis Quaid cameo

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

We spoke at the Press Conference to announce plans to reopen Palisades Village Shopping Mall. Actor Dennis Quaid arrives to...

Levain Bakery Debuts ‘Levain à la Mode’ with Local Ice Cream Partners for Summer

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Seasonal Offering With Wanderlust Creamery is a First in Cookie Shop’s History For the first time in its three-decade history,...

Beverly Glen Sixth Grader Advances to Finals of National Student Cook-Off

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Twelve-Year-Old Heads to Virginia to Compete in K12 Culinary Competition Abijah Levy Minor, a 12-year-old student from Beverly Glen, has...

Sarah Paulson to Host Charity Bingo Night for Pasadena Humane Society on June 5

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Evening of Food, Wine, and Live Music to Raise Funds for Animal Rescue Efforts Emmy-winning actress Sarah Paulson will host...

Bay Cities Italian Deli Responds to Health Code Closure, Commits to Corrective Action

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Santa Monica Landmark Disputes Rodent Claims but Acknowledges Violations Bay Cities Italian Deli, a Santa Monica staple renowned for its...

Film Review: Bring Her Back

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

By Dolores Quintana Grief is the price of love.  Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou’s second feature film, Bring Her Back,...

County Assessor Stresses Need For Fire-Affected Households to Update Addresses to Receive Relief Checks

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Assessor’s Office Offers Automatic Tax Relief for Fire-Affected Homeowners Following the destruction caused by wildfires earlier this year, the Los...

Caltrans Schedules Public Meeting for $143.7 Million I-405 Rehabilitation Project

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Virtual Forum Set to Brief Residents on Upcoming Construction The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will hold a virtual public...