Dia de lo Muertos Tattoos: My Catrina & Skulls

smithsonian_latino_centerBy Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum

The Catrina (skeleton woman in a fancy dress ) and the symbolism it carries has intrigued me since I can remember. The first time that I remember seeing one is when going with my mother to the market in Mexico City during the Day of the Dead celebration.

There is more than one reason why I decided to get these tattoos. I’m fascinated by my culture, its traditions and its way of viewing life (and death). The Catrina it’s a symbol that reminds me that we are all the same, regardless of class, ethnicity or profession. I grew up in Lynwood, a predominantly Latino community. When I moved to the Bay Area to complete my B.A. at UC Berkeley, I was hit by a culture shock. I must say that I now love that city and my overall experience was great; however, there were times when it seemed I had to prove myself and others that I could succeed and that my ethnicity and socioeconomic status were not flaws.

The Catrina represents my view of life and death. My family has always celebrated the Day of the Day by putting an altar for the first two days of November. We decorate with flowers, bread, food and pictures of deceased family members (including our dog!). The dichotomy that the Catrina shows captivates me: It is a skeleton, a dead woman, yet she is dressed with lively colors, with flowers…and she’s smiling. It is a reminder that one must see death as a natural process and with a positive attitude. Sometimes it is good to laugh at death or make a joke about it. I’m a Spanish teacher and I’ve taught my students a style of poetry called “Calaveritas literarias” (literary skulls). In this type of poem, the poet describes how a currently live person dies; how death takes him/her. The poem is full of dark humor and its intention is to ridicule or laugh at death and/or the person whom she’s taking (Note that Death in the Mexican culture is a woman).

Getting a tattoo of a Catrina means a lot to me; for the above reasons and because it represents my roots and my current identity. I want to give a message with my tattoos of Day of the Dead: I want to believe that death is also an act of life.

This article was originally published in Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum.

[Photo courtesy of Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum]

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