Rockport Public Library

Day of the Dead in the USA, the migration and transformation of a cultural phenomenon, Regina M. Marchi

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 171-184) and index

illustrationsplates

index present

non fiction

Day of the Dead in the USA

bibliography

258328670

Regina M. Marchi

Latinidad : transnational cultures in the United States

the migration and transformation of a cultural phenomenon

Examines how Day of the Dead celebrations among America's Latino communities have changed throughout history, discussing how the traditional celebration has been influenced by mass media, consumer culture, and globalization

Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction : a transborder communication phenomenon -- 1. An ancient and modern festival -- Honoring the dead -- Historical background on Day of the Dead in Europe and the Americas -- Day of the Dead customs in various Latin American countries -- Central America -- South America -- 2. Mexico's special relationship with Day of the Dead -- Folk and pop culture manifestations -- Calavera imagery -- Day of the Dead and Mexican nationalism -- Government campaigns and tourism -- 3. Day of the Dead in the United States -- Mexican American All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day rituals -- A Chicano tradition is born -- Early Day of the Dead exhibits and events -- California and beyond adopt the new celebration -- Negotiations over ownership -- 4. Ritual communication and community building -- Imagined community -- Communitas -- Claims for public recognition -- 5. U.S. Day of the Dead as political communication : a moral economy -- Remembering migrant deaths : protesting Operation Gatekeeper -- Remembering labor abuses : UFW and the braceros -- Remembering indigenous struggles : genocide and repression -- Remembering the war dead : a critique of U.S. military interventions -- Public celebrations as expressions of unity and discord -- 6. Day of the Dead in the U.S. media : the celebration goes mainstream -- Widespread media attention -- Reasons for increased news coverage -- News coverage as a resource for financial and institutional support -- Publicity and validation for Latino communities -- 7. The expanding hybridity of an already hybrid tradition -- The American way of death -- Filling an emotional void -- New participants, new directions, and debates around authenticity -- 8. The commoditization of a death ritual -- Marketplace offerings -- Exotic and chic cultural capital -- Day of the Dead as a tourism/urban development strategy -- Longing for the noncommercial good old days (of the dead) -- Commerce and culture : a long history together -- Commercialization versus authenticity -- Conclusion : what we can learn from U.S. Day of the Dead celebrations -- Methodological appendix -- Notes -- Glossary -- References -- Index