Oct. 25 Lecture, “Day of the Dead: From Ancient Ritual to Hollywood Spectacle,” by Dr. Mathew Sandoval

For centuries Día de los Muertos celebrations in Mexico and the US have functioned primarily as a form of Ritual or Festival.  However, in places like Mexico City, LA, San Antonio, Michoacán, and elsewhere Day of the Dead is now staged as a form of Spectacle.  Not only are local celebrations of the holiday increasingly mediated via television, the internet, social media, and virtual reality, they also tend to simulate Hollywood productions. 

At 6 pm on Wednesday, October 25, in the Lam Museum of Anthropology (Palmer Hall), Dr. Mathew Sandoval, Associate Teaching Professor at Arizona State University’s Barrett Honors College, will discuss what these transformations mean for the future of Day of the Dead and how they affect the meaning and integrity of our cultural heritage. Admission is free.

This lecture is cosponsored by the WFU Department of Spanish, Department of Anthropology, the Latin American and Latino Studies program, and the American Ethnic Studies program.