Entering the town of Tlaxcala, capitol of the State of Tlaxcala, is a visual delight. The City lies in a high valley surrounded by even higher mountains, some of which are volcanoes, one of which, La Malintzin soars to over 15,000ft. above sea level. The sky is a clear translucent blue that is made even more dramatic by constant puffy white clouds floating about in the sky.
In the City, the official buildings have a distinctive architecture, grand but not ostentatious, and almost all graced with cool patios and lovingly cared for plants.
In Tlaxcala, the unabashed use of color on structures, residential or public, is distinctive. There are colors such as deep blue, rusty orange, brownish red or yellow, that are often further enhanced by the use of a sparkling white trim around entry ways and windows. The inspiring white trim seems to capture the clouds that float overhead and bring them closer to earth, inspiring a sense of deep spiritually and awareness of place.
Tlaxcala, whose Nahuatl name means the tortilla of corn, “tortilla de maíz” is located almost 75 miles east of Mexico City, approximately 19 miles north of Puebla and slightly over 190 miles west of the port city of Veracruz.

The Tlaxcala area has been populated since 300 years B.C. A group of those early residents, the Olmeca-Xicalanca, a Maya speaking, trading and seafaring people were comprised of three distinct ethnic groups, Nahua, Mixtecos and Chocho-Popolocas. They left to posterity a site known as Cacaxtla, a place that is generally described as a “fortified ceremonial and palace complex” that is decorated with some of Mexico’s most beautiful and well preserved examples of pre-Columbian murals. Cacaxtla enjoyed the height of its influence and prosperity around 600 A.D, and slowly declined until it was totally abandoned by 1,000 AD. It was about 1,000 A.D. that Teotihuacan also disintegrated and it too was abandoned. According to archaeologists that period was a time of great social change throughout what is now described as Mesoamerica.
The City of Tlaxcala was established in the early 1500’s in a cooperative arrangement with the Spanish conquistadores. This was under the local leadership of Cortez, and the four Señoríos of the pre-Columbian República de Tlaxcala.
It is to the history of the Tlaxcalans and the often-forgotten role of the Tlaxcalan peoples in the history of not only ancient Mesoamerica but of modern Mexico, that Don Desiderio Hernández Xochitiotzin has dedicated his artistic talents.

His vast knowledge of history, archaeology and his native culture was combined with a profound determination to paint murals that would tell of the fascinating and glorious legacy of the Tlaxcalan peoples. These murals were painted on the interior walls of the Palacio de Gobierno, the most important State government building in the town square. Don Desiderio has been working on these murals for almost 40 years. He has yet to complete the history from La Reforma to the present. He hopes to begin soon the last of the panels that will complete the mural.
These murals by Maestro Desiderio can be enjoyed at many levels: for their artistic value; for the hundreds of details in the murals that illustrate what life was like in ancient Mexico and the numerous achievements that brought great power, prosperity and influence to Mesoamerica; or simply to provide to others with direction for further research as depicted in the recorded comments relating these early days which accompany each panel of the mural.
Don Desiderio, whose ancestry derives from the early settlers of the area now known simply as Tlaxcala, wanted his murals to present the proud and courageous struggle of the Tlaxcalans to maintain their independence even before the Spaniards arrived.
Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards the Mexicas, more commonly referred to as the Aztecas, formed a military and political alliance in three powerful
districts, of Mexico-Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Tacubaya. Their Triple alliance enjoyed a hundred-year plus hegemony over many neighboring tribes in what was then Mesoamerica.

According to Jesús Monrajas-Ruiz, the Ethno history Director of the National Museum of Anthropology, this Alliance basically controlled over
400pueblos, districts (señoríos) or city States throughout Mesoamerica. For the Triple Alliance, this control enabled them to collect onerous quotas of tribute from their subjects that made them very wealthy but also planted the seeds for their eventual defeat at the hands of the Spaniards in 1522.
This Aztec system of control held over a major part of what is now known as central Mexico. This area included territories that extended from slightly
North of today’s Mexico City, to most of what today is known as Oaxaca and most of the area between the western and eastern coasts. A few places maintained their independence from these Aztecan expansionists. Among them were the brave and well organized señoríos that resided in the area now known as Tlaxcala, another area then known as Yopetzinco (an area, that today, is known as Michoacan) and another pocket of independence in the coastal area of Oaxaca, then known as Tototepec. To the north were areas such as, Cuitlateca, Tarascos, Chichimeca, Huaxteca and Rio Panuco over which the Aztecs seemed to have less interest in controlling and did not control. The Yucatan peninsula remained out of their direct control as well.

The various leaders of the powerful Triple Alliance began this expansionist movement in 1428 and it ended in 1520. Its center was Tenochtitlan, todays Mexico City.
The Spaniards at first fought the Tlaxcalans, but soon became aware that the Tlaxcalans were engaged in a bitter struggle with the Aztecs and the
Tlaxcalans quickly understood the superior weaponry of the Spaniards. This mutual awareness led them to form an alliance to prepare for the expected battle with the hated and dreaded Aztecs.
As loyal and able warriors, the Tlaxcalans were rewarded by the Spanish Crown. The four señoríos, the Ocotelulc, Tizatlán, Quiahuiztlan and Tepeticpa left their individual government centers in the mountains and relocated in the valley floor.
The Señoríos, the Spanish Crown and the Catholic church leaders also
came to a mutually agreeable governmental structure. The Tlaxcalans were assured the continuation of their familiar republican form of government, the retention of their ancestral lands, the ability to bear arms and own riding horses, and an exemption from tribute payments.

In addition, the Tlaxcalan nobility were recognized and awarded their own official government seal. The Tlaxcalans were excluded by the Crown from the usual encomienda system, whereby a specified number of indigenous people would be assigned to “deserving” Spanish settlers. This policy, more often then, made slaves of the people.

Embarrassed by serious abuses, the Church made a formal request that this encomienda system be discarded. The Crown finally ordered in 1542 that no new encomiendas be awarded, (taxes) and were also bestowed the honor of housing, in the new Republic of Tlaxcala, the bishopric in Nueva España. Today Local government leaderships still dominated by people whose heritage is both Tlaxcalan and Spanish. But the Spanish immigrants to Nueva España reacted angrily and the new enlightened policy was overturned three years later. The encomienda system was not finally abolished until the late 1700’s.
According to historians, by the time the encomienda system ended the best lands of Nueva España were in the hands of Spanish plantation owners or the Church and the majority of the indigenous population has become “peons with scant rights as free men.”
Maestro Desiderio contends that it is wrong to condemn the Tlaxcalans as traitors. The foresigh to fthe Señoríos not only saved their people from the murderous control of the Aztecs but they also saved their people from another disaster that of the ill-conceived policies of the Spanish Crown and the attendant greed that accompanied the conquest of a very rich and prosperous land. Unfortunately, they were unable to save their people from the diseases carried by the Spaniards and eventually many Tlaxcalans did die.

The murals painted by Don Desiderio Hernández Xochitiotzin depict this epic account of Tlaxcalan history and of a people who accompanied the Spanish in establishing many of the colonial towns of Nueva España that still exist today. They include San Luis Potosí, Puebla, Querétaro, Jalisco and Santa Fe, New Mexico, among other cities encompassed in the area then known as Nueva España.
Maestro Xochitiotzin, in another panel of the mural depicts what he feels is the correct portrayal of La Malinche. Malinche’s name has been used, by many, to describe the ultimate traitor. The Maestro says that he sees Doña Marina, or Malintzin, her proper name and not Malinche, not as a traitor but as a very bright woman who had been sold into slavery to the Mayas by the Aztecs. It is understandable that she would attempt to help those who had stood up so valiantly to the dreaded Aztecs who had betrayed her. In Mayan captivity, she learned a second language, Mayan. Her first language was Nahua.
Malintzin knew the beliefs and understood the politics of Central Mexico, and along, with another former captive, a shipwrecked Spaniard named Aguilar who had learned to speak Maya, provided Cortez within valuable knowledge of what the Spaniards were facing in their journey to the interior of Mesoamerica and the Aztec territory.
She not only managed to save her own life, but that of her new found allies, from certain slaughter at the hands of the Aztecs.
The Aztecs had been eager to conquer such valiant warriors as the Tlaxcalans in order to better honor their own voracious gods, who demanded even more hearts in sacrifice.

Attired in a noble dress of red, trimmed in white, Doña Marina, in this mural, is depicted as the mother of modern Mexico. She bore a child, Don Martin y Martin, fathered by Hernán Cortez, who was her companion. Her child, a mestizo, is believed to be the first such recorded birth in Mexico.
Mexico has the largest mestizo population in the Americas and has always expressed pride in this fact.
The panel of murals are executed in the style of the classic muralists. The Maestro explains that he used colors appropriate for each period of history. For example, the rich and regal colors appreciated by the Tlaxcalans adorn the murals of the pre-Columbian days. Grays, blacks and subdued colors reflect the period of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Maestro Xochitiotzin is saddened by the concentration, by many, on the negative aspects of the conquest. He explains that there are positive results to this enormously significant encounter. He explains that we should recognize our heritage without shame or denial. His primary objective is to portray history as it occurred and not to distort history to serve political interests.
Maestro Xochitiotzin has not worked steadily at painting the murals. Because of unfavorable national political trends, there were years when the Maestro turned his attention to investigating the history of the Tlaxcalans rather than painting.He and many of his fellow Tlaxcalans knew of their history from family accounts of those early days, but Don Desiderio wanted objective proof of that history. He read the pre-Columbian codices, studied early colonial records in Mexico and Spain and traveled to wherever his investigations led him.
Though the Maestro’s work could stand alone as art, the fact that the murals tell such a history is compelling and makes it unworthy of a short visit. For this writer, the murals make real, of a world that existed in a remarkable time of history. Surely similar stories exist, but artists who so ably could portray that history are few.
Like many artists, Don Desiderio has not become rich but his spirit exudes a richness that is evident the moment he speaks of his work. On May 16. 1995, Don Desiderio was honored by the state government of Tlaxcala. For the celebration the Catholic church joined in honoring Maestro Desiderio with a mass in the cathedral. That day the city government also declared Don Desiderio a “Distinguished Citizen,” an honor that is well deserved.
Maestro Desiderio Hernández Xochitiotzin, with his work, has captured the complexity and reality of just a part of Mexico’s long history and the many peoples who contributed to making the Mexico of today. This history includes stories of bravery, brilliance in urban planning agronomy, political and military strategy and commerce. This history has lessons for today.
Perhaps the Xochitiotzin’s will visit San Jose one day and Don Desiderio will share his treasure chest of knowledge regarding a significant time in the history of Mesoamerica – today’s Mexico.

During the summer of 1996, Mrs. Yolanda Reynolds interviewed Maestro Desiderio Hernández Xochitiotzin about his many years painting the history of Tlaxcala and Mexico on the mural of the Government Palace of the capital city of the state of Tlaxcala. The importance of his legacy will continue growing through the years. This interview was published in La Oferta, May 1, 1996.

(Spanish poet)

During the celebration of Hanal Pixan

The altar is the center that consolidates

an inspired memory: signs from one’s self;

embroidery and food that adorn the abyss

to honor the custom of the deceased soul.

The altar is the finished table and shared with

Mayan, Christian, Aztec… in common syncretism

symbiotic foundation of an ancestral mirage

that offers to death the dream of life.

Far beyond anything, the pozol is consumed

a sense of sweet and sour, the intermittent light

and nothing is known of the shape and the manner.

Only the feeling of the breezes that the perfume brings to us

a kind of amazement that encourages the unconsciousness

it is a shaking… as if everything is known to us.

Writer and photographer Mary J. Andrade will receive the four awards under the following categories: Best Children’s Picture e-Book for “Remembering a Beautiful Angel”; Best Young Adult e-Book for “Day of the Dead in Mexico – Through the Eyes of the Soul”; Best e-Book Non-fiction for “Day of the Dead: A Passion for Life” and “Día de los Muertos: Pasión por la Vida.”

The Latino Literacy Now will hold a presentation of the awards to writers, editors and photographers who have made a contribution to Latino literature, on June 28^th in Las Vegas, as part of the American Library Association (ALA) Conference. The awards are produced by Latino Literacy Now, an organization co-founded by Edward James Olmos, and Kirk Whisler, and co-presented by Las Comadres de las Americas and Reforma, the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos.

Mary J. Andrade began her investigation on the celebration of the pre-Hispanic tradition of Day of the Dead in 1987, and returns annually to different locations in Mexico. Her series of five books entitled Through the Eyes of the Soul, Day of the Dead in Mexico have been awarded by the Latino Literacy Now under different categories, and she has also received the “Mexican Silver Pen” award by the Mexican Presidents Ernesto Zedillo and Vicente Fox two times. She published five of her books in electronic format, last year.

Her e-Books are filled with rich and colorful photographs, capturing the essence and meaning of this one of a kind celebration. Mrs. Andrade has been recognized for her knowledge on Day of the Dead, a celebration so unique in its form that it was named a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, in 2003.

The e-Book format series can be found for sale on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, KOBO Books and I-Tunes.

For additional information about her books, e-Book series, videos and photographs visit: www.dayofthedead.com and www.diademuertos.com

San Jose, Calif. – August 19, 2013 – After decades of writing about Day of the Dead in a series of hard copy books, award-winning author Mary J. Andrade has released her book series in e-Book format.

Her e-Books are filled with rich and colorful photographs, capturing the essence and meaning of this one of a kind celebration. Mrs. Andrade has devoted her life to the research of Day of the Dead.  She has been recognized as an international authority on Day of the Dead, a celebration so unique in its form that it was named in 2003 a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

“Technology has enabled us to make publishing more cost effective and easily accessible to more people at any time whether it’s for educational purposes in schools, for travel or just leisure reading about this unique celebration,” said Mary J. Andrade.

The e-Book format series can be found for sale on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble,  KOBO Books and I-Tunes.

The list of e-Books includes: her most recent publication “Remembering a Beautiful Angel” written in English and Spanish which tells the story of two children, Soledad and Juanito as they prepare to celebrate Day of the Dead with their family.

“Day of the Dead A Passion for Life” written in English and ”Día de los Muertos Pasión por la Vida” in Spanish, are individual publications that narrate her travels to different P’urhepecha communities of the four regions of the State of Michoacan, Mexico.

“Through the Eyes of the Soul, Day of the Dead in Mexico – Oaxaca ” is written in English and Spanish. The bilingual text in the book is accompanied by more than 60 color photographs, and highlights Día de Muertos traditions in two regions of the Mexican State of Oaxaca.

“Through the Eyes of the Soul, Day of the Dead in Mexico – Mexico City, Mixquic and Morelos” is also written in English and Spanish. The author visited museums, galleries, and cultural centers in Mexico City.  Later, she traveled to Mixquic and the State of Morelos where she documented how different communities and regions celebrate the rituals.

With broad and in depth content about this pre-Hispanic tradition in the State of Michoacán,

“Day of the Dead A Passion for Life” and “Día de los Muertos Pasión por la Vida,” written by Mary J. Andrade and published by La Oferta Publishing Co. are now for sale in digital format through Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Kobo Books.

The text in each book is accompanied by more than 60 color photographs, that narrate the festivities surrounding the market place in Pátzcuaro, the different types of altars including a young girl’s altar, a children’s parade in Tzintzuntzan and the Vigil of the Little Angels in the cemeteries of the Islands of Janitzio and Pacanda. Both books include several poems, written by Julie Sopetran, a Spanish poet, who has traveled to Mexico during the celebration of this pre-Hispanic tradition.

Coinciding with the season in which the celebration honors the lives and the legacy of those who have passed away, Author Mary J. Andrade, has for many years traveled throughout the four regions where the P’urhepechas communities of Michoacán live and work: the Patzcuaro Lake Area, the P’urhepecha Plateau, the Cañada of the Eleven Towns and the Ciénega, interviewing historians, teachers and members of the different communities.

The celebration of the tradition of Day of the Dead in Mexico was declared as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO in 2003. With the objective of documenting information through narratives and photographs, Mary J. Andrade has celebrated among the inhabitants the joyous remembrance with their beloved souls, from the preparation to the culmination of the “Fiesta de los Muertos” with the vigils in the cemeteries in the four P’urhepecha regions.

The first printed bilingual edition of “Day of the Dead A Passion for Life” was released in 2007 and is the first book in its genre that covers this vast region of the P’urhepechas communities in depth, taking the reader on the same journey as the author.

“Day of the Dead A Passion for Life” has received many recognitions. It received Second Place by the Benjamin Franklin Awards in 2008 under the multicultural category and in the same year the book was also awarded First Place for Best Travel Book and Best Cover Design by Libros Latinos.  In 2010, it received First Place under the category of documentary by Latino Literacy Now.

Mexicans living in Mexico today carry on the Aztec and Mayan view of death as a rite of passage by participating in an annual tradition to honor those who have passed on Nov 1st and 2nd in a celebration called the Day of the Dead.

The works of photojournalist Mary J. Andrade chronicle the unique way people from different parts of Mexico observe this time-honored ritual from beginning to end. Andrade’s pieces anchor an exhibition entitled Day of the Dead a Passion For Life, currently showing on the second floor of the M.L.K. library in downtown San Jose.

People dressing up as calacas or skeletons in Naolinco, Veracruz, wearing masks to dance during the town’s festivities in Huautla, Hidalgo or tending to the arch for the lonely soul in San Luis Potosi all taking part in the Day of the Dead celebrations are immortalized through Andrade’s photographs. Preparations to gather elements vital to the creation of an altar are depicted in a picture of a woman carrying dozens of the bright orange cempasuchitl flower, whose fragrance is said to attract the souls of the dead, and in a picture of a man making el pan de muerto the traditional bread made for the dead.

Andrade’s life’s work took her to a little town in the southeast of Mexico City called Mixquic, where she captured an eerie shot entitled Night Vigil: a father with his daughter. Taken in the dark of night, in the town’s only cemetery, the journalist uses candlelight to capture a father and daughter sitting next to a tomb. The candlelight combined with the smoke from burning incense manipulate the daughter’s image to appear fantastical, leading the viewer to question if she is really there or if she is a spirit from beyond.

The exhibit is available for viewing through Nov 27. It brings a tradition that is entrenched in Mexican culture to life by highlighting the way it evolves from state to state through captivating and thought provoking imagery.

(Spanish Poet)

Woman with a somber gaze,

Tell me, what do you see in the candles?

are they ghosts in the night

or are they flowers of the earth?

What do you treasure on your lap

illuminated and transparent,

even in the air

your silhouette appears?

Twice as much the pain,

twice as much the loss,

the flowers have become rivers

and the fragrance cries out.

Pondering at night,

vigil of the imagination,

bundle of lights and echoes,

stay up late during the wake…

Woman with a tender gaze

the flames of candles reach out;

are they mocking this moment

or are they restfully flickering out.

In your illuminated face

life rejuvenates,

to those who love death

this is a golden ninght in their sight.

For those who love life

it is a night of confusion,

the wax kisses the flowers

and the flame caresses the emotions.

]]> https://dod.mmediaweb.com/woman-with-a-somber-gaze/feed/ 0 https://dod.mmediaweb.com/day-of-the-dead-a-passion-for-life-wins-several-awards/ https://dod.mmediaweb.com/day-of-the-dead-a-passion-for-life-wins-several-awards/#respond Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:22:41 +0000 http://dayofthedead.com/art-culture-and-poetry/day-of-the-dead-a-passion-for-life-wins-several-awards/ La]]> La Oferta Publishing company is proud to announce that “Day of the Dead A Passion for Life” won two International Latino Book Awards for the Best Travel Book (Bilingual) and Best Cover Design (Soft Cover) . The awards were presented to the author, Mary J. Andrade, during BookExpo America on May 29, 2008, at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

In recognition of the many positive contributions being made to Latino literature by publishers and writers worldwide, Latino Literacy Now, created the Latino Book Awards in 1999. “Day of the Dead A Passion for Life” was also a finalist in the 2008 Benjamin Franklin Award for the Multicultural category.

The Benjamin Franklin Awards are sponsored by PMA, the Independent Book Publishers Association, and celebrate excellence in editorial and design for titles published in 2007. Judges for the Benjamin Franklin Awards come from all areas of the industry: major newspaper and trade media reviewers, bookstore and library buyers and reviewers, non-competing publishers, artists and writers who serve the industry.

These awards were also presented on May 29, on the eve of BookExpo America 2008, at which time winners were recognized for setting standards and the pace for the publishing industry. “Day of the Dead A Passion for Life,” published by La Oferta Publishing Company in 2007, focuses on the way the P’urhepecha people in the State of Michoacan, Mexico honor Life through Death. In this book, the author takes the reader for a ride deep into their traditions, explicitly documenting the differences and similarities of how these indigenous communities honor the lives and memories of their ancestors during the celebration of Day of the Dead.

As The Midwest Book Review wrote about this book, it is: “Lavishly illustrated with full-color photography on practically every other page. A beautiful holiday tribute ideal for public libraries and reference shelves, or for ordinary readers to savor simply paging through.” Mary Andrade has devoted her life to the research of Day of the Dead. Her passion knows no boundaries. She’s recognized as an international authority on Day of the Dead, a celebration so unique in its form that it was declared in 2003 Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO.

Mrs. Andrade has presented over 170 photographic exhibits on Day of the Dead in the United States, Ecuador, Spain, France, Mexico, Egypt and Chile and has published seven other books on the subject. She has been the recipient of many international awards, such as the OHTLI and two Silver Quills and one Silver Lens presented by former presidents of Mexico, Vicente Fox and Ernesto Zedillo. The research and publication of Day of the Dead A Passion for Life, was possible in part by the support of the Office of Tourism of the State of Michoacan and is now available for purchase at hundreds of bookstores in the United States as well as through La Oferta Publishing Company.

For additional information visit Mary J. Andrade’s award-wining websites: www.dayofthedead.com or email her directly: mary@laoferta.com “Day of the Dead A Passion for Life” Author: Mary J. Andrade Bilingual: English and Spanish Pages: 200, color photographs ISBN: 978-0-9791624-0-4 Price: $29.95 Pub. date: June 2007 Contact: Veronica Murguia Tel: (408) 436-7850 x 12 e-mail: veronica@laoferta.com

El libro “Día de los Muertos Pasión por la Vida” recibe varios premios En el marco de BookExpo America 2008, celebrada en la ciudad de Los Angeles, California, el libro “Día de los Muertos Pasión por la Vida” publicado por La Oferta y escrito por Mary J. Andrade recibió dos premios importantes, por parte de los Premios Internacionales del Libro Latino. “Día de los Muertos Pasión por la Vida” fue reconocido con el Primer Lugar bajo las categorías de “Mejor Libro de Viajes” (bilingüe) y “Mejor Diseño de Cubierta”.

La premiación se llevó a cabo el jueves 29 de mayo del 2008, en el Centro de Convenciones, donde se realizó la Feria del Libro. Este premio fue establecido en 1999 por la organización Latino Literacy Now, con el objeto de destacar las contribuciones positivas de la literatura latina en los Estados Unidos y la que realizan los escritores a nivel mundial. “Día de los Muertos Pasión por la Vida” fue también finalista en los Premios Benjamin Franklin 2008, bajo la categoría

Estos premios fueron instituidos por la Asociación de Publicaciones Independientes (PMA), con el propósito de celebrar la excelencia en contenido editorial y de diseños de los libros publicados en el año anterior. Los jueces de los Premios Benjamin Franklin son seleccionados de todas las ramas de la industria: críticos de la materia en periódicos, personal encargado de la compra de libros para bibliotecas y librerías, artistas y escritores que sirven en esta industria. Estos premios también fueron presentados el día anterior al inicio de BookExpo America.

Durante la sesión, finalistas y ganadores fueron mencionados por establecer condiciones de excelencia en la industria de publicación de libros. “Día de los Muertos Pasión por la Vida” fue publicado por La Oferta en el 2007 y enfoca en la manera como los p’urhepechas en el estado de Michoacán, México, honran la Vida a través de la Muerte. En este libro, la autora lleva al lector en un vasto recorrido de las tradiciones que este grupo indígena ha mantenido por siglos, documentando explícitamente las diferencias y similitudes de cómo sus pobladores honran las vidas y los legados de sus antepasados, durante la celebración de Día de los Muertos. “Ilustrado espléndidamente con fotografías de color prácticamente en cada una de las páginas. Es un tributo ideal de una celebración maravillosa, a la vez que sirve de referencia, en las bibliotecas públicas, al lector deseoso de disfrutar de cada una de sus páginas”. –

The Midwest Book Review. Mary J. Andrade ha dedicado gran parte de su vida a investigar esta tradición. Su pasión no tiene límites. Ella ha sido reconocida por su investigación sobre Día de los Muertos, una celebración tan única por su significado, que fue declarada por la Unesco en el 2003 como “Obra Maestra del Patrimonio Oral Intangible de la Humanidad”.

Mary Andrade ha realizado alrededor de 170 exposiciones fotográficas sobre el tema en los Estados Unidos, Ecuador, España, Francia, México, Egipto y Chile, habiendo publicado además otros siete libros sobre sobre Día de los Muertos. Ha recibido varios premios internacionales, como el OHTLI; dos Plumas y una Lente de Plata que le fueron presentados por los ex-presidentes de México, Vicente Fox y Ernesto Zedillo. La investigación y publicación de Día de los Muertos Pasión por la Vida fue realizada en parte con el apoyo de la Secretaría de Turismo del Estado de Michoacán.

El libro está a la venta en cientos de librerías en los Estados Unidos, así como a través de su casa editora La Oferta Publishing Company. Para información adicional visite los portales de Mary Andrade: www.dayofthedead.com,– o envíele un mensaje a: mary@laoferta.com “Día de los Muertos Pasión por la Vida” Autora: Mary J. Andrade Bilingüe: English and Spanish Píaginas: 200, color photographs ISBN: 978-0-9791624-0-4 Precio: $29.95 Fecha de Publicación: Junio 2007 Contacto: Veronica Murguia Tel: (408) 436-7850 x 12 e-mail: veronica@laoferta.com

(Spanish poet)

Desire

I

In your sweet face everything is beautiful

because I look at death, I’m happy;

when I contemplate you, emotions give me strength

if I see in your eyes my sparkle.

Life plays with those

who die by the lives they live;

With a dreamy minty gaze

and I’m starting to consume you by your neck…

My tongue sweetens if I look at you

little tasteful skulls of many flavors,

I feel sorry if I break you, if you shine,

the sugar brighten my sigh,

sequins of snow in its glow:

death is the color that seduces me.

www.eltiempohabitado.wordpress.com

(Spanish poet)

The subject transforms into a work of art.
Coffee colored earth Is the faith.
And one little Mayan house so that the immobile body is shed.

And little fresh water for the soul’s journey one Cheche Itza mouth of open sky to learn the waters of the unknown…
Ixchel has not died A nest, a tower, an angel, the clouds.
The thirst of the sublime!
Coffee colored earth the faith.

The ones who always save us from monotony.
And the cross and the small blue door, blue, blue…
That opens the immense.

Everything transcends Because it is the most profound: death,
And also to die we need a home where to stay in.
Coffee colored earth the faith.

eltiempohabitado.wordpress.com