Long before the Disney film “Coco” helped popularize Día de los Muertos, the Dallas-based indigenous dance group Mitotiliztli Yaoyollohtli invited the community to a sacred ceremony honoring the dead.

For 25 years, director Evelio Flores has opened his Oak Cliff home to commemorate this holiday that dates back centuries, long before the Spanish colonization of Mexico in the 1500s.

More than 50 community members gathered on the patio of Flores’ home Wednesday for the annual ceremony. The celebration was multi-generational – from the elderly to newborns. The members of the group call themselves dancers. Musicians beat drums and sang in Nahuatl – an indigenous language of Mexico – and the smell of copal incense filled the air.

Natalia Luna, whose family is among the dancers, described the ceremony as a safe place among friends.

“It’s like a whole-hearted day of prayer,” she said.

At the center of the ceremony was the community altar, on which photos of loved ones brought by community members were displayed.

“These are people who are either family or friends that we want to remember, and we want to make sure we carry their name,” said Alexandra Hernandez, the group’s ceremonial dancer.

The altar had several different layers and elements — symbols from Mesoamerican tradition and Mexico, Hernandez said. Salt represents the earth; candles represent fire; and the water element is for the deceased during their journey.

“We believe that these days, the veil…that separates our ancestors from us, is thinner, and they can come visit us,” said Almendra Martinez, one of the dancers and singers.

“I think in that way, we believe that our ancestors are not just gone, but they’re walking with us, you know, and that’s how we live forever.”

Martinez, who sang in Nahuatl during the ceremony, said she was told that singing connects the soul to ancestors. When you sing, she says, you go back to years gone by.

Yolimitzi Arellano, 17, has been attending the ceremony since birth.

“Even though I have different beliefs than my parents, it still honors the fact that we had loved ones who passed away,” she said. “And they are very important to us. It shows that they never really disappeared.”

Although it’s unclear what exactly happened centuries ago, Hernandez said it’s important to keep these traditions alive. “It is our responsibility to preserve the lessons our teachers taught us and the teachers before them,” she said.

Regardless of whether people participate or not, she hopes it will continue to raise awareness.

“I think it’s important that we continue to share so that we can continue to create a world that understands, even if they don’t celebrate, and appreciates other cultures,” she said.

Day of the Dead celebrations continue around the world until November 2.

Priscilla Rice is KERA’s Communities Reporter. Do you have any advice? Send him an email to [email protected].

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