Date: Wed, 2 Nov 1994 18:28:14 -0800

From: Birrell Walsh birrell[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]WELL.SF.CA.US

Subject: Re: dia de los muertos



On Wed, 2 Nov 1994, Guadalupe Valdes wrote:



There is an important difference between el dia de los muertos and el dia

de los inocentes.



In Mexico, like in Spain, we celebrate el dia de los inocentes on the 28 of

december. It is actually our "april fools day" a day in which many attempts

are made to fool happy innocents who fall for tricks and jokes.



El dia de los muertos is all souls day.





Yes, and if our California experience is any guide, it will soon be an

important day for non-Mexicans too. It seems to be spreading, filling

the same need shown by the phenomenal sales of Kubler-Ross and of the

Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Gringo culture (an Irishman, I will

NOT be calling it anglo) seems to have no way of honoring the dead except

lugubriously.



Birrell