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