These past two weeks, the Mission District and other significant parts of the city were jumping with various celebrations of Día de Muertos.
Although some still tend to confuse Halloween and Day of the Dead, the celebration on Nov. 2 has clearly established a more transcendental importance. The event increasingly asserts its deep-rooted spiritual and indigenous characteristics and it is safe to say that the date has become a very important highlight in our collective cultural calendars. It is a massive public healing ceremony.
It is a night to remember, to celebrate, to keep our ancestors alive in our memories.
Until 2019, the celebration had grown enormously. Thousands took part in it, all dressed for the occasion, with faces adorned with many versions of skulls. The Day of the Dead procession in San Francisco had become one of the biggest participatory events of its kind in the entire nation.
In 2020, the severe restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic impeded the massive celebration. Like most everything else, it became an on-line event.
In 2021, although COVID is still around, the celebrations were more public.
I will refer to a few wonderful events.
The first one took place on Nov. 2, on the large patio of Buena Vista Horace Mann Elementary School, in the heart of the Mission. A large variety of performers gathered, such as Folko Ayisyen Lakay Haitian Ensemble, Pam Ortiz and Youth Dancers, Danza Xitlalli, Cuicacalli, Estrela do Samba, plus the musicians Anthony Blea and Orlando Torrientes.
Among them, organizing the omnipresent and always exciting Loco Bloco, a group formed in 1994 to support the creativity of young dancers, musicians, actors and stilt-walkers.
The event was titled “Renacimiento,” a collage of various vignettes. It included speeches about the recent passing of the artist Yolanda López and the writer/activist Elizabeth “Betita” Martínez, theatre skits warning about the danger of drug abuse, long-legged “alebrijes” (on stilts), dances that referred to Haiti, (although without elaboration) and even the classic Rubén Blades’ song “Siembra.” Rather late in the night, the exciting Ballet Folklórico Cuicacalli.
It was a vibrant (if a bit long-winded) show, which would benefit by some trimming. Although every segment was interesting and—at times—quite exciting, the show needed a more cohesive script. It was difficult to perceive a through-line for the action.
In my own personal history as a theater director, I have indeed created works that could have benefitted with some judicious editing. I forgot my own mother’s advice: “De lo bueno, poco.” (“Of that which is good, don’t serve too much!”)
Nevertheless, there was no denying the enthusiasm and—in most of the action—the quality of the performances. All around me, people followed with rapt attention. It was an extremely receptive and supportive audience, mostly friends and relatives from the surrounding communities, who were happy to be there. Keep it up, artistas!
Then, on the afternoon of Nov. 6, the San Francisco Symphony had its Special Event: Día de los Muertos Concert. For a few years it has always been a well-organized and vibrant offering, with our dear Martha Rodríguez as a key organizer and connector.
This year, the Symphony offered works by the Argentinian Astor Piazzolla and by the Mexicans Arturo Márquez and José Pablo Moncayo García. Perhaps the most surprising piece in the first part of the program was “Margariteña,” by the Venezuelan Inocente Carreño. The Guest Conductor was another Venezuelan, the talented Enluis Montes Olivar.
The second part of the program featured the infectious sympathy of the Mexican singer and classically trained piano player Flor Amargo. It was her debut singing with a symphony and she did very well, eliciting warm applause from the enthusiastic sold-out audience.
By the way, Loco Bloco again was there! Some of their dancers and musicians performed outside the Symphony Hall, as the audience arrived. A dope introduction to the concert.
Keep it up, SF Symphony! And maybe sooner than later, you will gift us your presence in one of our Mission District Parks? La Raza Park? Precita? Dolores?
As “the cherry on top,” on the night of Nov. 6 we attended a wonderful concert by the Ahkeel Mestayer’s Quintet. This time, we moved to the corner of Haight and Masonic.
The Quintet (Ahkeel Mestayer on congas and vocals, Emilio Dávalos-Gaylord on bongos and cow bell, David Lechuga on Bass, Kai Lyons on acoustic guitar, Cuban tres, Brazilian cavaquinho and vocals and Roque Barón, vocals) played as part of a series called Mellow Sessions.
The venue? A wonderful space called “The Mellow Haight,” a houseplant store by day and a musical venue at nightfall.
This quintet features a group of (mostly) Mission born and raised young musicians who have already made a name for themselves in other groups, such as “Soltrón”…and Loco Bloco, where Kai Lyons works as Musical Director and Emilio Dávalos-Gaylord is Assistant Musical Director. These “Locos” are everywhere!
As the Quintet Director Ahkeel Mestayer told me: “The Quintet fuses unorthodox styles for the sake of musical exploration.”
In the type of “fusion music” I heard, apparently distant and separate musical forms, like U.S. hillbilly tunes and Puerto Rican “Plenas” coexist and thrive in a very exciting way. This Quintet is a great addition to our varied musical menu.
A very poignant detail: this last concert took place right across from where only a day before a shooting left at least one person dead. Flowers and candles filled the exact crime spot, reminding us that Death and Life in the City continues.
The music from that Mellow Session was an apt ending to this 2021 Day of the Dead.