Category Archive for Nightcrawling
DAY OF THE DEAD PARADE, ART & MAKEUP: DIA DE LOS MUERTOS, MEXICAN RITUAL. BREAD OF THE DEAD, CATRINA SKELETON.
They call her La Catrina, or the elegant skull. She’s all bones, usually clad in a long robe and carrying a scythe. And this is her holiday: Day of the Dead.
On November 1st and 2nd, Mexicans honor those who have passed. But it’s not a gloomy holiday – quite the opposite. Day of the Dead is a vibrant celebration that shouts yes — the dead can dance.
I had the pleasure of celebrating Dia de Los Muertos this year… in the historic district of Mazatlan, Mexico!
Horse cigar ring: gifted from Erica Anenberg
Dress: gifted from Sourpuss Clothing
The ritual traces back to the Aztecs, who worshipped a god named ‘The Lady of the Dead’. In modern times, this ghoulish goddess is known as Catrina… And her image haunts every corner of Mazatlan.
Night falls, and the darkest celebrations begin. Family members visit graveyards, sometimes camping out all night. They pray and share their favorite memories of the deceased.
But I’m in the mood to dance. So I’m joining the Day of the Dead parade.
Locals gather in Old Mazatlan for the annual procession. They’re put on elegant costumes and painted their faces like skulls. With folk music and firecrackers, the dead have come back to life.
Lively, and slightly scary. (With my talented filmmaker, Melissa.)
I saw many colorful altars to remember the dead. They’re decorated with real or paper marigolds, photos, favorite meals and objects. And, of course, sugar skulls – which have the name of the dead written on the forehead.
There’s even a special food for the occasion: Bread of the Dead! Sold in Panama Bakery, It’s airy and sweet, and has a cross-bone on top. Don’t worry – it’s safe for the living to eat.
When the party was over, I hopped into one of these pulmonias (open air taxis unique to Mazatlan). Time to crawl into my coffin!
Are you familiar with Day of the Dead? What did you think of the celebrations and visuals in this post? If you have questions, I invite you to leave a comment here or on my Facebook; I’ll be sure to reply.
❤ Felt inspired? Then give the post a Like (below). ❤
SHARE & COMMENT
NHK KAWAII TV EPISODE AIRS DECEMBER 17! JAPANESE GOTH INDUSTRIAL MUSIC DJS, BANDS, CLUB NIGHT: MIDNIGHT MESS.
Set your Tivos: my NHK Kawaii TV episode airs on December 17th! If you’re not in Japan, don’t worry; I’ll put up clips for you (as I always do).
My Japanese Addams family is the best; I’m grateful for their support over the years. So I brought the NHK TV crew to Midnight Mess: longest running monthly Gothic/Industrial dance club in Tokyo.
Yukiro spent two hours on this look, and it’s a masterpiece. But beauty doesn’t come without pain: he kept bumping his head into lights, and leaving spiderweb trails behind!
Red cherry swimsuit: from Pin-Up Girl clothing
Trailing Gothic vest: Gramm by Sinc, from Closet Child
Red skull tights: gifted from Artisan Socks
Cheetah print faux fur jacket: I wear this constantly. Banana Fish, from Closet Child Shinjuku
Long gem eyelashes: Amazingly, we found these in a 100 yen bin in a sporting goods store (!!). When we asked the owner why he was selling these, he laughed nervously and refused to answer. Sketchy…
The NHK cameraman has never been to an alternative event, and this was a perfect introduction. We goofed around with photos at the vampire fangs station.
Kenny Creation poured us absinthe. And one of my blog readers, Jonelle, introduced herself — a happy meeting that became part of show.
The band Xenophobia performed on sailor-themed stage.
My lovely Gothic ladies, Raisu and Kana.
I went on stage with Yukiro, Selia and Mistress Maya. We thanked NHK for coming to the party’s 9th anniversary.
It was also Selia’s birthday. Champagne and cake for everyone. (Thanks Naomi for taking these photos.)
Selia’s voice soars when she sings opera. She dedicated “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” from Carmen to me.
For videos and photos from the previous Midnight Mess, come revisit this post.
The cameraman left around 2am, but we kept dancing to resident DJs (TE2, Statik and Maya) til morning.
Want to party with these enticing Gothic creatures? Then you must attend the next Midnight Mess, held monthly at Club Marz in Shinjuku. For more club recommendations, please read my Tokyo club guide.
Don’t forget to watch NHK Kawaii TV, and keep your bloody eyes peeled for the clips. I’d really appreciate it if you could Share this post: let’s put the spotlight on Tokyo’s Gothic underground!
Have you watched this program before? What’s your current favorite Japanese cute trend?
PS: I’m trying out this Amazon widget, below (it lets you hear songs with a single click). Let me know if it doesn’t work for you, or slows down the site.
Album of the Day: Switchblade Symphony – Serpentine Gallery
❤ Smiled at this post? Please support with a Like (below) ❤
LA CARMINA
