Photo #1 - “Danza, Corazon, y Cultura,” from left to right in the photo at left, Jacob Diaz, Anna Martin-Hernandez, Elia Marquez, Rosaura Barrera, Miranda Salas, and Luis Diaz. Their performance on Saturday in Green River, sponsored by the Sweetwater County Historical Museum, was attended by over 200 people.

 

(Sweetwater County, Wyo. - October 25, 2023)    More than two hundred people attended the Sweetwater County Historical Museum's special Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) event at the Clock Tower Park in Green River on Saturday.

As featured in the animated 2017 Walt Disney film Coco, Día de los Muertos is a holiday for honoring the dead. It originated in Mexico but is now celebrated in many Latin American countries. Celebrants create displays called ofrendas (offerings), using items such as food, flowers, photos, and sugar skulls in remembrance of family members who have passed away. Typically, Día de los Muertos begins on October 31 and lasts through November 2.

The event's highlight was a series of performance by "Danza, Corazon, y Cultura," a seven-member cultural troupe performing traditional Mexican dances in full costume, including dances from a range of Mexican states, such as Veracruz, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Jalisco.

Mexican-themed children’s craft activities were offered, including making calavera masks, coloring pages, and decorating sugar skulls. Refreshments, including pan de muerto (a special Mexican bread), champurrado (Mexican hot chocolate), and Mexican soda were served.

Executive Director Dave Mead extended the museum’s special thanks to Yolanda Covarrubias and her family for the champurrado and the pan de muerto, Victor Hiler of the Hiler Insurance Agency, who donated the Mexican soda, Bella and Cecilia Romero-Adkins, who helped museum staff create the sugar skulls, and the Romero-Adkins family and Emilio Sanchez of Green River, who generously volunteered their time to help run the event. Mead also expressed particular  appreciation and admiration for the talent and hard work of the Danza, Corazon, y Cultura performers, Joaquin and Rosaura Barrera of Rock Springs, and Elia Marquez, Jacob Diaz, Luis Diaz, Anna Martin-Hernandez, and Miranda Salas of Green River.

Check out this year's museum ofrenda - and the many other exhibits - at the Sweetwater County Historical Museum, 3 E. Flaming Gorge Way in Green River. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and there is no charge for admission.