People dress up as skeletons known as Calacas and March in a procession down Main Street in Dunedin.

Participants dressed up as skeletons known as Calacas and marched in a procession down Main Street in Dunedin

Casa Tina’s annual Dia De Los Muertos was celebrated in downtown Dunedin on Saturday night with good food, great jazz, and lots of Calacas (skeletons) and mojigangas (18-foot-tall puppets). Dia De Los Muertos direct translation is Day of the dead, but during the celebration it really implies the return of the souls. It is traditionally a Mexican celebration in connection with All Saints Day and All Souls Day, Nov. 1 and 2 respectively. Those who celebrate this day base their ideas in the Mexican Indians belief that death is a part of life and the dead should be honored not feared.
A typical <em>ofrenda</em> might have candles, libations (traditionally tequila), possessions of the deceased, and sometimes money as offerings in case they come back and need it fixed

A typical ofrenda might have candles, libations (traditionally tequila), possessions of the deceased, and sometimes money as offerings in case they come back and have a debt to pay

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This article appears in Oct 18-24, 2012.