October 14, 2023 • 41 mins
Ever wondered about the origins of our beloved Halloween and how it compares to Dia De Los Muertos? Well, buckle in as we dissect the intriguing history of Halloween, tracing its roots back to Ireland, the UK, and France. From acknowledging saints to a festival of costumes and candies, the evolution of Halloween is quite an adventure. Moving to Dia De Los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, we'll peel back the layers of this colorful Mexican tradition, exploring the customs, symbolism, and the cultural ethos that celebrates death as a part of life.
We delve deeper into the rituals associated with Dia De Los Muertos, from the respect paid to loved ones through cleaning their caskets to setting up intricate altars that honor the departed. The elements of a traditional altar, with contributions from water, wind, earth, and fire, and the customary use of marigolds and favorite foods, all carry unique significance. We'll also reflect on the comforting experience of setting up an altar for deceased pets and understanding the energy dynamics that dictate the placement of the altar.
Finally, we pivot into a more controversial topic - the prickly intersection of religion and politics. The double standards and the role of religion in judgment and manipulation are put under the microscope. We critique a Mexican political candidate's approach towards child trafficking and their dubious use of religion to further their agenda. But there is a silver lining as we highlight two women running for office in Mexico, emphasizing the need to separate religion from politics for a fair and equitable political atmosphere. Join us on this thought-provoking and enlightening journey.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Xenia (00:04):
This is Latina's State of Mind, a podcast created by
Latinas for all audiences, wherewe can share our experiences
about love, life and everythingin between.
Diana (00:20):
Welcome to another episode, another spooky episode.
Oh I know, Ooh, Latina's Stateof Mind.
Xenia (00:26):
We should just make Latina's State of Mind a spooky
podcast.
I like it.
Diana (00:31):
Yeah, I wouldn't be a good vibe.
We bring the good vibes oh,yeah, oh yeah, that's us, most
of us, most of us.
What?
Xenia (00:41):
She was like wait a minute, I'm just kidding.
Diana (00:46):
Well, today we're going to be covering a little bit
about Halloween and mostly aboutthe Dia de los Muertos Day of
the Dead.
What was it?
I like it, I love it, thank you, thank you.
First of all, I do want topreface that these two holidays
(01:07):
are completely separate.
Nancy (01:09):
They're not the same.
Diana (01:10):
They're not the same Because, yeah, we'll cover about
this a little bit more.
Nancy (01:16):
Any initial statements about these yeah, I think, sorry
, go ahead.
No, no, you go.
A lot of people think thatmaybe they are the same but,
like you mentioned, completelydifferent, celebrated on
different days for differentreasons.
I'm excited to talk about it,thanks.
Xenia (01:32):
I love Halloween and I love the Dia de los Muertos.
Yeah, it's like my favoritetime of the year.
Diana (01:37):
Okay, well, both of them actually are very spooky.
But just to start covering,halloween revolves about
darkness, death, ghost witches,candy and costumes.
Let me get a little bit morebehind it.
I'm not going to cover too toomuch, but this is an old
fashioned holiday that datesback thousands of years, takes
(01:58):
place the last day of Octoberbecause they're celebrating the
what's it called the last day ofharvest.
Okay, and they were just kindof sell not celebrating, but
kind of, in a way, celebratingand also pushing away bad
spirits by having a celebrationwhich is cool.
And basically it kind ofstarted as a homage to saints
(02:23):
and but eventually it kind ofevolved into what we have now.
Let's see, they used to.
Let's see what am I trying tosay?
Nancy (02:36):
There's a word here.
Diana (02:37):
Sam, so in that's what it is.
It involves very, a lot ofritualistic ceremonies.
These were used to connect withspirits, and this is where you
get the jack-o-lantern.
Xenia (02:51):
This is way back in the day.
Diana (02:52):
This is how you get the jack-o-lantern.
People used to wear costumes toscare away these spirits.
Xenia (02:58):
Oh, that's so cool.
Diana (03:00):
And disguise itself from ghosts.
Xenia (03:03):
So that's why they're dressing up Exactly Okay.
Diana (03:05):
Yeah, it's rooted back from Ireland, United Kingdom and
France and then it, you know,was brought over by immigrants.
Of course, Immigrants bring allthe great things, but here in
America the celebration startedin early 1900s consisted of
large parties to honor harvest,to share ghost stories.
(03:29):
Hey, we're being part of thatright now Sing and dance and the
original costumes were kind oflike not superheroes but maybe
just saints and angels.
But it kind of evolved toeverything else now.
Nancy (03:47):
So it didn't start with like a sexy bunny and stuff like
that.
It didn't, unfortunately.
Diana (03:51):
Interesting.
I would have imagined a sexynurse, sexy nurse.
Xenia (03:55):
Or sexy anything, really no exactly, but could you be a
sexy anything with that muchclothes back in those tanks?
Diana (04:03):
I don't think that was okay back in the day, just
throwing it out there.
Xenia (04:09):
Well, extra cleavage, maybe that's what made it.
Diana (04:14):
So, yeah, that's just a little coverage about Halloween.
I mean, we still celebrate tothis day and we have way more
fun now, and we're still, in away, spooking away all the
ghosts, but the other losmuertos is kind of.
Xenia (04:26):
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, Before you go on with your
Dia de los Muertos.
My bad, go ahead.
What's your favorite Halloweentradition or what's your
favorite thing to do duringHalloween?
Diana (04:36):
I have an answer for this the I don't know.
As a little immigrant, at onetime I received a little a ball
of popcorn, and I don't know why, but I thought this was great.
I had never seen popcorn in aball form and so I don't know.
That's one of the things thatalways, whenever I see those,
(04:57):
the candy, but like thatspecific, that, yeah, that
specific shape, that specificsnack I get, I don't know, it
makes me happy, it makes meexcited for Halloween, but
that's the one thing that justkind of gets me like going in
the spookiness seeing all thesnacks, and especially that one
snack.
That's cute, that's super cute.
Xenia (05:18):
Thanks.
Nancy (05:21):
I think for me is like watching all the scary movies
and maybe going to like ahaunted house and things like
that.
I was never like very intoHalloween, like dressing up and
anything like that.
I think I have been morerecently.
But yeah, I love watching scarymovies and just being in the
mood for them.
Xenia (05:43):
Same.
So at work we always have, likewe always just dress up to see
who in the work area has abetter theme, and I'm always so
excited to come up with themesand always like we're doing this
I like to make my own costumes.
Diana (06:00):
And.
Xenia (06:01):
I love, just like the scary movies and the decorations
and everything's so creepy.
Nancy (06:07):
Yeah.
Xenia (06:07):
It just feels so like nice to me, I love everything
about Halloween.
Diana (06:11):
It's like a warm, like weird.
Xenia (06:14):
Yeah, it's different.
I don't know it's different,but I get it.
Diana (06:18):
What are you going to be for this?
This I don't know yet.
Don't share it.
Well, I don't know yet.
Xenia (06:22):
Well, I don't know yet I've been thinking about it,
because last year we were I wasa zombie princess, which was
pretty fun, huh, okay, yeah,zombie Cinderella, oh right.
Diana (06:33):
Zombie Cinderella.
Nancy (06:36):
Oh yeah, that's great.
Do you guys prefer when?
If you dress up to be somethingscary or something slutty?
Diana (06:43):
Scary.
I always is slutty.
I rotate between a sexy vampire.
Do you have a rotation?
Nancy (06:53):
Yeah, she has a rotation A sexy witch or a sexy devil.
I've seen the devil.
Xenia (07:00):
Have you, I think I've seen the sexy vampire.
Nancy (07:03):
I have pictures of that sexy devil I have a video of
that devil, oh in the cage yeah.
Diana (07:13):
I remember yeah.
Nancy (07:14):
Did I get?
Diana (07:15):
money that day.
Nancy (07:21):
No no not that day, I wasn't that day.
Diana (07:24):
Oh, I remember that now.
I love that Good time yeah.
Xenia (07:27):
Very good time.
I was Lilo and I had to stay inthe car.
Diana (07:34):
Thank you, you guys remember that you were Harry.
Nancy (07:37):
Potter.
Yes, oh, I remember now I had agreener, actually, but oh, you
were from the Harry Potterfamily.
I think that shows who we areas people the devil Fucking nerd
(08:01):
and we just really love.
Xenia (08:06):
I loved it because we had stitch just sitting at the
table drinking.
Yeah, I just wanted to know,about your time.
No, I love that.
Go on with Day of the Dead.
Diana (08:22):
In a little bit.
Let me just point out thatHalloween is a very holiday for
me because I always get fuckedup.
Xenia (08:28):
Not this year or last year or I remember.
Diana (08:32):
Anyways, let's move on.
Now we're going to be talkingabout the other, those martyrs,
the day of the dead.
Yes, it's still very spooky,but this is not a holiday to
scare the spirits, such asHalloween.
This is a holiday to invite thespirits.
It kind of started with peoplenot wanting to mourn.
(08:57):
They don't want to say goodbye,they don't want to, they don't
want them to leave.
So this day it's a celebration.
It started many years ago withthe Aztec and Nawa people.
I'm not sure about that, but tothem, actually, mourning was
considered to be disrespectfuland because they still
(09:21):
considered the dead to be partof the community.
Oh wow, I love that.
I don't necessarily like thisthought because, I mean, the
person is dead, but I like theidea.
I like the idea that they werenot going to forget their loved
ones.
Nancy (09:37):
That's beautiful.
Diana (09:39):
It's just the way to keep their memory alive.
The idea de los muertos is whenthe dead temporarily return to
the earth to be by our side, andmany celebrations take place
during this day.
I just learned this today aswell.
The first day this is November1st.
It's a celebration orinvitation for all the children
(10:01):
the children to come in and getback, basically, or celebrating.
It's called Dia de losAngelitos.
I did not know this.
The second day and the thirdday this would be the second and
the third of November.
The second is Dia de losDifuntos.
This is adults, part of thesecond day, and the third day is
(10:22):
just overall, dia de losMuertos.
This celebrates all spirits,including your pets.
I thought that was verythoughtful just because they're
considering everyone.
I thought this was very special.
It's not a somber day, it's nota day to be sad.
(10:43):
It's a day to celebrate lifeand color and food and snacks
and people that are dead andpeople that are alive just
coming together.
Many times you will seeofrendas or offerings.
These are kind of a centerpiece, I guess, where you put
(11:05):
pictures, you put up food, youput up snacks, you put candles,
especially because candles aresupposed to guide the ghost into
your house.
I'm sorry, not the ghost, butthe spirit.
For children.
You can put toys in there Then.
Marigolds are also extremelyimportant.
There's an actual word for here, Sampasuchi.
(11:28):
I love that.
Thank you for saying that.
I could not be able to say it.
This is also helped to putaround the grave sites to
actually guide them back totheir stones, to help them back
to their grave.
I also do not know.
Nancy (11:44):
This is such a beautiful and meaningful tradition.
Diana (11:49):
It's been passed along from thousands of years.
As we mentioned, something thatwe see very often the calaveras
, or the skulls, and thecatrinas, which is the standing
skeleton.
These are also kind of to.
They're made up very elegantlyand they're decorated very
(12:11):
elegantly to also portray like abetter symbol or a happier
symbol of death.
I think I don't know.
I grew up in north of Mexico soI didn't have a lot of this
growing up, but I'm very glad tohave learned this and to be
covering this as well.
Nancy (12:29):
That's interesting that you say that, because I also
grew up in northern Mexico andChihuahua and the other is
Martos was never something thatwe celebrated.
I actually didn't startlearning about it until we moved
here, and very recently a lotmore with, like the movie Coco
and stuff like that, yeah, butit's so beautiful, I love every
detail.
Xenia (12:51):
When I was a kid, I think I was a little scared because
in Nayarit, where I'm from, mymom had a few people that had
passed away and she used to makethese, like they're called,
coronas, like decorations fortheir cemetery.
And she would make like papermerry-golds and decorate these
coronas with and she would takethem to a cemetery as a gift to
(13:14):
like the people that had passed.
And Then we would go and therewas like this like parade type
of thing and they had like scarythings, like To me and they
were scary at the time because Iwas a child, but there was like
a la vera's and the heat, thoseand like it was just all the
things that Diana talked about.
And I remember being like whatis this, you know?
(13:35):
But I didn't understand it.
It's a.
As I got older I understoodmore about it and I now I'm so
thankful that it's such a bigpart of our culture and like I
look forward every year to justmaking a little friend for my
family and just Decorating itand it makes me feel like they
(13:58):
really are here, like my dadreally comes, my, my grandma's
really come visit and even ifit's just like Remembering them,
it's such a positive way ofremembering.
Diana (14:09):
And yeah, and that's the whole point is just to remind
them, them, remember them and doit positively.
Nancy (14:14):
Yeah, yeah.
Xenia (14:16):
So I recently learned about this place in Mexico and
can't betcha, to be exact, Ifound the name here.
Yeah, the poch poch poch muchin el municipio, the I don't
know how to say that, but it'sin can't betcha, in Mexico and
the people there, they go to thecemetery and they Actually open
the caskets of their, theirloved ones and they clean them.
Nancy (14:40):
Oh, wow.
Xenia (14:40):
So every year, for for around the other most mortals,
they go to the cemetery, theyopen these caskets, they they
start setting them up, dependingon how long the person's been
dead.
I think there's a time wherethey do it like it.
I think it's like a six year orsomething after the people have
passed, but they go and cleanthem and Set them up and it's
(15:03):
like a respect, it's arespectful way of loving them
and it's such a different, likeit looks so morbid when I first,
you know, but they sit thereand they talk to them and they
lovingly clean them and and it'sjust like such a Different way
of honoring the people thatpassed in such a different way
(15:26):
to like continue to love themand like Still, in their own way
, help them out.
I was like wow, like it wasjust an interesting.
Yeah, that's very interesting.
Diana (15:36):
I, that's I'm learning this right now.
Yes, you're right, it doessound very morbid, but I can
understand the thoughtfulnessbehind it.
Right, and that's gross.
That's what I was.
No, but shout out to them fordoing that.
And that's crazy how youmentioned that they have like a
waiting period, because theyknow that there's gonna be a
(15:59):
period where the body is notgonna be suitable to handle like
us.
Yeah and you know and I'm alsothinking about the history of
like how these people came aboutto doing this back in the day
and like yeah, so it's passeddown generation after generation
exactly something that's beenhappening in this particular
town for maybe hundreds andhundreds Exactly and I don't
(16:21):
know.
I just get to appreciate howrich the history is yeah and the
and also the tradition thatthis Continues to happen
nowadays, especially with Idon't know.
I feel like we get moreSensitive in a way and we're
like you know I don't want todeal with that, but now people
are like no, we're gonnacontinue this and we're gonna
continue celebrating the lifeand taking care of our dead ones
(16:43):
, yeah, yeah, it's a great wayto show your love and respect.
Nancy (16:46):
I mean a great way for you if that's how you choose to
do it.
Yeah, but definitely superinteresting.
I don't think I could do it.
Diana (16:55):
Honestly I don't think I could do it, but I'll stick to
the off-rama.
Xenia (16:59):
But it's cool that they do like.
I think it's just reallyinteresting that I think you
have to see, see death in such adifferent way to be able to be
able to do something like that.
So I'm I'm interested to see orknow what their mind like, what
their thoughts about death anddying are.
Diana (17:20):
Oh yeah, like their initial thoughts on how they got
to this point.
Xenia (17:23):
Yeah, that would be cool, Like that'd be very cool to
learn.
Yeah, because it's not likethey're Desensitized of it, like
that.
They're still love andappreciate their families.
But they see this body, thesebones, have something different.
You know, that's pretty cool tolearn, yeah.
Diana (17:41):
I'll stick to no, but I do want to go back to another
point that you made of, likesetting up your altar.
That's something that I startedto do just recently, like two
years ago, basically, because itI, I like it.
I like the feeling of Maybethey are here visiting, yeah,
and at least the people thathave passed, some people I
(18:04):
really truly cared about and Iit feels comforting that, hey,
maybe they're gonna come in,check in, have a little snack,
have a little water and thenjust leave.
Yeah, I don't know, I reallylike the idea of that and that's
something Even if you're notfrom Latin America or whatever,
you can still celebrate this.
You can still celebrate thelife and the death of a person.
Nancy (18:25):
Yeah, I like it and I like the part where it's like a
positive celebration.
Diana (18:30):
Yes.
Nancy (18:31):
A day to be sad or anything.
It's like you want to celebrateeverything that they liked and
welcome them back to your life,at least for that day.
Xenia (18:38):
I love that we can also celebrate pets.
Yeah, yeah, that was cuteBecause I feel like pets are
such a big part, become such abig part of your life and, like
I know, losing my pets has beenreally tough.
And you know, I didn't eventhink about this, but I'm gonna
start putting their picture upin my alter yeah.
Diana (19:00):
Yeah, I have my pet Selena.
She was my pet, but I have herup and I have had her up and my
great-grandma I love it.
That's who I've put up, andI've also learned that you have
to include the four elements.
Xenia (19:17):
So I didn't know this.
Diana (19:19):
Water, wind, earth and fire, and also you have to put
salt.
Xenia (19:24):
Yeah.
Diana (19:25):
And the salt that I learned that this is.
I thought it was gonna be forprotection, but it's actually
represents the continuance oflife.
Ooh, I love that, I know.
Nancy (19:34):
You were going witchy vibes.
Diana (19:37):
Yeah, exactly, I was getting witchy vibes because I
thought you were supposed to putthe salt to protect them.
Xenia (19:41):
Protect them.
Diana (19:42):
Yeah, but no, it's just represents life and I think
that's so.
We need to put water, water,wind.
Xenia (19:50):
How do we put wind?
Diana (19:52):
Great question, huh, you just blow in there.
Xenia (19:57):
once you know what I'm saying, I'll bring a fan near a
window.
Diana (20:01):
You could put it near a window, huh, but how could no?
But really, though, how canwind be represented?
Xenia (20:07):
That's a great question.
Diana (20:08):
That's a great question.
I'm gonna have to look that up.
And then, yes, going back tothe marigolds as well, those
help.
Xenia (20:17):
Maybe marigolds are wind, oh don't know how would that
happen?
Diana (20:26):
Um, the oh marigold flowers are used to guide the
souls of the departed during theday of the dead, so that's
actually gonna make the pathwayto and from.
Yeah, to and from.
And then, of course, you haveto include the relative or past
individuals' favorite foods orfavorite snacks, and especially
(20:50):
water as well.
Xenia (20:52):
Because they're thirsty when they get there.
Yeah.
Diana (20:54):
So did you do anything?
What do you do?
What do you put in your altar?
Xenia (20:59):
So I put my dad's picture and I put my Well, I call her
Grammy because she's technicallymy Grammy Also put my dad's mom
, my grandma.
So Grammy loved candy, so Ialways put Snickers or some like
M&Ms or some kind of like candy.
(21:21):
I always try to put candy forher, and my dad's favorite food
was chile verde de puerco withsome frijolitos de la olla, and
my mom used to make themtortillas recién hecha su mano.
So she always makes them thatwith a Coke and marshmallows
because she loved marshmallows.
And for my grandma I put Cokeas well, because she loved Coke
(21:42):
and coffee.
So I always put food and hopethe dogs don't eat it.
Yeah, and I always try to putfresh flowers, candles and papel
picado.
Diana (21:58):
That's something that I want to learn how to make, papel
picado, because it's also partof the putting up in your altar.
Buy it, no shame.
Let's see Something that I alsojust learned You're not
supposed to put an altar under abeam or a staircase, okay, um,
(22:19):
because this can createoppressive and heavy energy.
I know you know you don't wantwalking all over.
If it's under a staircase, thatmakes sense.
Actually, I put do you have analternancy?
Nancy (22:31):
No, I've never.
Xenia (22:32):
Are you going to do one this year now?
Nancy (22:34):
I've been thinking about it, actually, I think I'm going
to you should, for my grandma,yeah, and my uncle, yeah.
Actually, I think I'm going todo it.
Maybe we'll post pictures foreveryone.
Xenia (22:44):
That would be awesome.
Nancy (22:46):
And then if people want to share their pictures of their
altar, I would love that I havea logistical question and maybe
it's dumb when you put out food, then you eat it after, or do
you?
Xenia (22:59):
just throw it away.
It depends Um.
Sometimes I throw it away,sometimes we eat it, okay.
Nancy (23:03):
Yeah, it doesn't.
Diana (23:05):
It doesn't have like a meaning, no, Okay, but I mean,
you don't want to eat it becauseit can go stale.
Nancy (23:10):
Cause you leave it all day.
Diana (23:11):
Yeah, cause you leave it multiple days.
Xenia (23:13):
I've left my stuff multiple.
Yeah, I only put it out one,the main day, oh.
Diana (23:18):
The second.
Xenia (23:19):
Huh, but it's different for everybody.
Diana (23:21):
Okay, yeah, I've left it out.
Xenia (23:23):
For a month she's like oh shoot, I left it out for the
whole month.
Diana (23:28):
Oh dang, there's supplies what?
Nancy (23:32):
They call the wrong energy.
Diana (23:36):
No, but something that I want to make this year and I
didn't get to do it last year Um, a VPN.
I don't know if you guys knowwhat that is.
Yeah, um, it's like a yeah Um,but that was my great grandma's
favorite food, I think it was.
And then something that I wantto make an honor for her yeah, I
love it.
But other than that, I alsoinclude silver.
(23:58):
Are you supposed to includejewelry in there?
I?
Nancy (24:01):
don't know, but why not?
They liked it, if it'ssomething like cute and shiny.
Xenia (24:09):
So it's for you?
Diana (24:10):
No, it was for them Like hey look, here's some silver,
but I don't know if that'ssomething that I know it's your
altering, you can put whatever.
Yeah, I put it on there withgreat intentions.
Xenia (24:21):
Yeah, exactly that's what counts.
Diana (24:24):
And that's what counts in your um, in your altar as well.
Yes, that's crazy how um all ofthese holidays, I guess, or
celebrations, differ from thestates to state or area or
region in Mexico.
Nancy (24:38):
Is this a celebration that is that goes beyond Mexico?
Do we know or suggest aregional?
Xenia (24:44):
as far as I know, it's very, very Mexican, maybe
Central America.
Nancy (24:49):
Most likely America.
Let's look at how close we are.
Xenia (24:54):
As far as I'm concerned, yeah, I'm looking right now.
I'm excited for you to have a,not that of this year.
Yeah, me too, yeah.
Diana (25:01):
Actually okay.
While Mexico is the countrymost renowned for the other
little moutos, um, it'scelebrated across Latin America
and beyond, from Brazil to thePhilippines.
Xenia (25:10):
That's awesome.
Diana (25:11):
And it's.
Yeah, it's always the November1st and the 2nd.
Sometimes, at least in Mexico,it's a three day celebration, of
course.
Um, I mean I have to party, butyeah, so the countries do
celebrate the other littlemoutos, that's.
I would never expect someone inthe Philippines to be
celebrated.
I mean, good for them, yeah,that's awesome.
But maybe that same feeling ofhonoring the spirit or the dead
(25:37):
is passed along.
Nancy (25:38):
Yeah.
Diana (25:38):
That's pretty beautiful.
Xenia (25:41):
I'm sure every culture has their own way of celebrating
their, their, the people thathave loved them, so it'd be
interesting to know howeverybody else does it.
Diana (25:51):
Yeah, yeah, I love to see how they how they celebrate,
how do they do they put up analtar?
Xenia (25:56):
Do they not do that?
Yeah, like what do you?
What do you include?
Yeah, how do you remember?
Diana (26:01):
I feel like I have heard from other countries like
cleaning be uh there, what's itcalled?
Diseased persons, graves andbodies.
I feel like it's not just likea thing from Mexico, I feel like
I've heard about it in otherplaces Interesting.
Xenia (26:16):
Yeah, it didn't seem like too foreign.
It seemed, it seemed familiar.
Diana (26:23):
It seemed familiar, that's interesting.
Nancy (26:26):
I love that.
Diana (26:26):
I love that Also kind of the US is kind of embracing it a
little bit, yeah, and I thinkit's not necessarily with um, I
guess the celebration, but atleast picking up a little bit of
the um costumes and or makingit into a costume.
Xenia (26:45):
Well, and I think, like you said, this is a a
celebration that I'm okaysharing with people, and I'm
okay people taking on this, thiscelebration, and making it
their own in a way, becauseyou've, most of us have lost
somebody that's dear to ourhearts and most of us are
looking for some way to makethat grief a little lighter.
(27:05):
And I feel like, as far as forme, the A de los Muertos really
did help me with that grief, butalso like how cool would it be
for other people, even if youknow they're not Mexican, to be
able to just put up a littlealter and say I'm thinking about
you and hoping that you arehere with me, and if that gives
them a little hope and a littleWhatever relieve for that moment
(27:29):
, like then, then I'm okay withthat.
Nancy (27:31):
I think a lot of our traditions and things like that
can be shared if they'reRespected yes, yes, there's that
respect, right, yeah and yeahit's.
I mean, it's beautiful.
If we all have that in common,then why not share it and do it
and continue to show our lovefor people who have passed?
Diana (27:49):
Yes, I think their respect part is Extremely
important.
Yeah, cuz you know there'salways those people are gonna be
in front of this.
Yes, that's totally okay.
You know it's not okay.
It's not okay, but it's okaybecause you know someone will
come out and get to you.
I'm gonna be a look at the rena.
That's rena is the, is thestanding school, the elegant
(28:12):
standing school lady, and if youmake fun, it's okay to do it,
but like, just know that she'sgonna come back be aware.
Xenia (28:18):
Yeah, she's gonna come and pull your feet.
Yes, you will call the year onon you oh.
Diana (28:33):
Well, now that we have apologized her, maybe she will,
maybe she'll be Love that for us.
Xenia (28:39):
You guys need to listen to the previous episode.
Diana (28:42):
Yeah, to kind of have an idea of what we're talking about
, oh man, but I do hope thatsomeday I get to go to Mexico
and be like and celebrate fullyhow it's intended to be
celebrated Exactly like thewhole be there for the whole.
I don't want to call it afestival, but yeah kind of sort
(29:03):
of.
So I hope that someday I'm ableto go out there and celebrate
it and celebrate it with therest of the people and enjoy all
those.
Xenia (29:11):
Yes, let's go together.
Diana (29:13):
Yeah, yes, done as record a podcast.
Xenia (29:23):
I think we should take this a little lighter.
And well, okay, was, is itreally lighter?
Nancy (29:28):
different, a little different yeah.
Xenia (29:31):
Yeah, yeah, and do some of that Diana's daily shit, oh.
Diana (29:41):
Man oh man.
Yeah, it's not gonna be anylighter, I'm sorry.
Today we're gonna be talkingabout the separation of religion
and politics who am heatedalready, like the founding
father, others intended to andthey wrote in the declaration,
(30:02):
not in the declaration, I'm sosorry in the Constitution, but
no, but this is actuallyrelating to Mexico, because
they're right now, they're aboutto get ready for elections and
I mean they can't release withus as well, of course, in the US
.
But there is a candidate who ispushing the religious idea to
gain momentum, to gain support.
(30:24):
Yeah, and I don't think that'sappropriate.
Not only do I not think it'sappropriate, because not
everyone Shares their religionbut, also, it's not appropriate
to use religion in this.
Xenia (30:38):
Manor Yep, you know I.
Diana (30:41):
I may not be the most religious person, but I do think
that it should be respected,and pushing it with politics is
not being respectful.
So I'm I don't know man.
Xenia (30:52):
Okay, I'm gonna.
I'm gonna get into this becauseI'm so excited about this
candidate and I Absolutelycannot stand this guy and I'm so
mad at everything he stands forbecause he is so freaking fake
like yeah he cannot sit thereand say that he is all about
Mexico and he, you know, lovesthe Mexican people and the
(31:12):
Mexican people.
That's in the Mexican people,that.
And yet he's best friend withsomebody that has talked so much
crap about the Mexican people,that has put our name down, that
has tried to bring us down.
So you, you can't be all aboutthe Mexican people when you're
friends with people that hateMexican people.
Diana (31:32):
And I'm gonna a little bit context this politician, not
the individual, the Possiblecandidate, not him, but the
other who's.
He supports this Trump.
Yeah, that's why we're mad,yeah.
Nancy (31:45):
Not just because he supports them, it's just the the
idea that he's trying toperpetuate in Mexico are things
that are not going to help thecountry move forward.
I feel like there's been a lotof changes lately that are
making, honestly, the countrybetter.
Xenia (31:59):
Yeah, for everyone, for, like, the entire society, not
just certain people individualsyeah, and he is trying to move
backwards, yeah and and he hidesbehind this whole religious
like what was me.
I found my way like.
He used to party and drink andbe in.
(32:21):
He was a celebrity and actorand he used to be doing all the
things and now he judges peoplefor.
And now he's better thaneveryone else because he found
God and God saved him and that'scool.
If that's what you feel, that'sfine, but you don't have to
push that on everyone else likeno, and I just can't stand the
(32:41):
guy like I, I can't stand it.
Diana (32:44):
Yeah, yeah, going back to your point of being a hypocrite
, yeah exactly.
How can you support someoneelse's shitty ideas and then try
to bring in to the country thatthis other Politician was
extremely hateful towards?
Yeah, you know that's it's notokay.
How does this individual thinkit's okay?
(33:05):
It's not okay to do that?
How do you support?
Xenia (33:10):
Maybe this is Senya's daily shit.
He supports this.
He just recently produced thismovie that was all about child
trafficking, and I have so manyfeelings about that.
Diana (33:26):
I haven't watched the movie.
I'm not gonna watch it.
It's ridiculous Because I endedup being that one of the
director directors was abusingwomen exactly.
Xenia (33:35):
So, like, how can you stand behind?
Like, okay, fine, yes, childrenare being trafficked, that's a
real thing.
But why are we talking aboutthe children that are being
abused in all the churches?
Like, let's talk about that too, like don't come here and
pretend like you're better thaneveryone else because you're
saving children in Countrieswhere they're being trafficked,
(33:57):
but why aren't you saving thechildren that are being abused
by priests?
Yeah why aren't we doing thatinstead and why aren't we making
a movie about that?
Diana (34:04):
Why are we making a movie about it and not just doing
actually like doing exactly so?
I'm sorry, no.
Nancy (34:11):
I can't stand it.
Xenia (34:12):
I can't stand it even, and I'm sorry.
Diana (34:18):
No, people should be offended.
You know it's okay to beoffended, it's a double standard
.
It's a double standard to me,and hopefully the offense gets
you to that point of I mean, Ihope so Understanding that you
can't be pro one thing andagainst the other thing right
right, you know you have to beall or nothing.
I'm sorry I should take thatback, but I don't know.
Xenia (34:40):
Check your standards, yeah you can be against abortion
, but being okay with childrenbeing raped by, yeah, people in
the church like that's just notokay.
Nancy (34:49):
I think the problem is that he's using religion exactly
and and that's the issue withall these things, right, Like
it's okay if you want to believein whatever you want to believe
right.
No judgment and that theproblem is when you use your
religion to judge other people,which is so.
Xenia (35:03):
Exactly.
You're not looking at what yourreligion's doing or what you're
doing.
Diana (35:08):
Yeah, like the whole point about religion is not
judging, and being understanding, loving and being loving or
respectful, but yet here we arepushing the this terrible agenda
, yeah.
Xenia (35:21):
I don't know.
Diana (35:22):
I think we just wanted to talk about this because I think
people should really separatetheir Way of thinking from
politics and what's gonnabenefit them and the religion it
should just not be allowed tobe a topic of conversation when
you're running for any sort ofoffice, like any position in
government, basically Exactlybecause they're why, why, why?
Xenia (35:46):
Why?
And if we're gonna do this forreligion, then why are we
bringing Buddhism?
Islam and all these otherreligions into the mix, like why
are we only following onebelief, like we're only going
about Christianity and that'snot the only religion in the
world?
So I mean, if you're gonnabring in religion and politics,
(36:07):
then why are we bringing all thereligions into?
Diana (36:09):
politics?
No, it's.
Whatever people feelconvenience to fight, it's
unacceptable.
Xenia (36:16):
So if you're not gonna bring everyone in, just don't
bring nothing at all.
Diana (36:21):
Don't bring anything at all.
Anybody in any religion outsideof politics, exactly Because
that gets tricky in itself.
Nancy (36:29):
Separation of church and state Perfect.
Diana (36:32):
Operation of church and state.
Please and shout out to Mexicofor two women?
Xenia (36:39):
Yeah, I hope one of the women and this other candidate
is not even.
God, I feel so mad.
Diana (36:47):
I haven't heard a lot about him, so I've only heard
about the two female candidates.
I hope it stays like that.
Nancy (36:53):
Yeah, it worries me a little bit, just because he was
famous, so people know the name.
Xenia (36:58):
Yeah and I'm afraid like they will recognize the name and
choose it because of that,because he was like I'm afraid
it's gonna be like a Trump thing.
Diana (37:05):
Oh man.
Nancy (37:06):
But let's hope not.
Yeah, let's hope not.
Diana (37:09):
But anyway, shout out to Mexico for doing that.
Yes, mexico.
Xenia (37:12):
And don't get your religion involved in your
politics.
Diana (37:17):
Thank you.
This is Senya's Daily Shit.
I love that.
Xenia (37:23):
That was great.
It was so heated about that one.
Diana (37:25):
I'm sorry, diana.
Oh, it's okay, I like it.
I like it when other peoplefeel the rage.
Xenia (37:33):
Stand him.
Diana (37:34):
Nancy, that reminds me that you haven't had a Nancy's
Daily Shit.
Nancy (37:38):
Have you ever seen me rage about anything?
Not yet, not yet.
You haven't.
Xenia (37:46):
I mean yes, but not on the podcast.
So we're just waiting for that.
Nancy (37:50):
Okay, I'm one of these things yeah.
I'm waiting for you If there'sanything that pisses me off,
I'll let you know the.
Xenia (37:59):
P word, but she's just so calm and so like put together,
that's what we think.
No, she is, but she is, but sheis.
Diana (38:09):
She says Girl you're the one saying that.
Xenia (38:11):
Anyway, let's go back to Halloween and the other little
smart girls.
Halloween.
Diana (38:19):
They both have Christian background and it kind of has
evolved into something better.
Nancy (38:27):
I think it's a fun time for people to you know, remember
people they've lost whocelebrate now with Halloween
like have fun and dress upwhatever you want it to be I
don't know.
I think it's just a cool timeto to do all of those things and
, like I said, I'll be watchingall the movies and I'm excited.
Diana (38:46):
It's that time of the year.
Stay tuned for Nancy's scarymovie list oh yeah.
Nancy (38:54):
I like that.
Xenia (38:54):
Okay.
Nancy (38:55):
Okay, did we say our favorite scary movie?
Diana (38:58):
Never thought of one.
The grudge, yeah, you said thegrudge.
I immediately.
Nancy (39:03):
Yeah, the Strangers was mine.
Diana (39:08):
I can't think of one.
No, nothing scares you.
No, I don't watch it becauseI'm too scared.
Xenia (39:15):
Did you watch any of the insidious movies?
Diana (39:18):
I watched one of them and I believe it was the second one
.
That one was very spooky.
You know what I can think aboutthe exorcist.
Nancy (39:27):
The original.
Diana (39:28):
Yeah, I watched them when I was very young and I was
spooked the fuck out, and then Ilearned that there was like
some weird shit happening inthis set and stuff like that,
and I was even more spooked out,like two or three of the actors
died or something like that.
Yeah, they had like weirdinstances and then there was
death and yeah, there was a lotof spooky things going on.
Nancy (39:50):
Did you movie the Hussany like religious component, like
that?
I feel like there's always likedeath or something.
Diana (39:55):
And that's another point why it shouldn't be included in
the policies.
Nancy (40:00):
There's nothing to do with it anyway, but yes, but
yeah, it's the operation ofchurch.
Xenia (40:07):
Bring it back.
You said the viscid is yourfavorite, that's.
Nancy (40:11):
Jerome's favorite Favorite is the viscid.
Okay, well, tell us in thecomments what your favorite
riskier movie is.
We can watch them.
Diana (40:17):
And then I'll show.
If you all show, my shiwa wascoming here.
If you have an altar, we'll besharing ours.
I'll try to share mine.
I'm actually getting preparedfor it.
But share one with us.
We'll post it.
We'll celebrate it together.
Xenia (40:35):
And if we didn't mention any things that we should put in
our altar.
Nancy (40:39):
So you know about you should let us know.
Yeah, as a first timer, I'mgonna need all the help.
Xenia (40:44):
Yes, I'm so excited for you.
Diana (40:50):
We also need to figure out what the wind is for.
Xenia (40:52):
Yeah yeah, so if one of you guys know, let us know,
because we need to know.
Diana (40:58):
Hold on.
Thank you so much foreverything you guys.
Xenia (41:02):
Thank you.
Thank you for listening.
We'll see you next time.
Diana (41:05):
Love you.
Xenia (41:05):
Bye.
Nancy (41:07):
Thank you for listening to Latina State of Mind,
produced by us, your awesomehosts, diana Senia and Nancy.
Special shout out to Jerome,our editor.
Don't forget to follow us onInstagram at LSOM underscore
podcast and on Facebook atLatina State of Mind.
Hasta la próxima.
This is Latina's State of Mind, a podcast created by
Latinas for all audiences, wherewe can share our experiences
about love, life and everythingin between.
Diana (00:20):
Welcome to another episode, another spooky episode.
Oh I know, Ooh, Latina's Stateof Mind.
Xenia (00:26):
We should just make Latina's State of Mind a spooky
podcast.
I like it.
Diana (00:31):
Yeah, I wouldn't be a good vibe.
We bring the good vibes oh,yeah, oh yeah, that's us, most
of us, most of us.
What?
Xenia (00:41):
She was like wait a minute, I'm just kidding.
Diana (00:46):
Well, today we're going to be covering a little bit
about Halloween and mostly aboutthe Dia de los Muertos Day of
the Dead.
What was it?
I like it, I love it, thank you, thank you.
First of all, I do want topreface that these two holidays
(01:07):
are completely separate.
Nancy (01:09):
They're not the same.
Diana (01:10):
They're not the same Because, yeah, we'll cover about
this a little bit more.
Nancy (01:16):
Any initial statements about these yeah, I think, sorry
, go ahead.
No, no, you go.
A lot of people think thatmaybe they are the same but,
like you mentioned, completelydifferent, celebrated on
different days for differentreasons.
I'm excited to talk about it,thanks.
Xenia (01:32):
I love Halloween and I love the Dia de los Muertos.
Yeah, it's like my favoritetime of the year.
Diana (01:37):
Okay, well, both of them actually are very spooky.
But just to start covering,halloween revolves about
darkness, death, ghost witches,candy and costumes.
Let me get a little bit morebehind it.
I'm not going to cover too toomuch, but this is an old
fashioned holiday that datesback thousands of years, takes
(01:58):
place the last day of Octoberbecause they're celebrating the
what's it called the last day ofharvest.
Okay, and they were just kindof sell not celebrating, but
kind of, in a way, celebratingand also pushing away bad
spirits by having a celebrationwhich is cool.
And basically it kind ofstarted as a homage to saints
(02:23):
and but eventually it kind ofevolved into what we have now.
Let's see, they used to.
Let's see what am I trying tosay?
Nancy (02:36):
There's a word here.
Diana (02:37):
Sam, so in that's what it is.
It involves very, a lot ofritualistic ceremonies.
These were used to connect withspirits, and this is where you
get the jack-o-lantern.
Xenia (02:51):
This is way back in the day.
Diana (02:52):
This is how you get the jack-o-lantern.
People used to wear costumes toscare away these spirits.
Xenia (02:58):
Oh, that's so cool.
Diana (03:00):
And disguise itself from ghosts.
Xenia (03:03):
So that's why they're dressing up Exactly Okay.
Diana (03:05):
Yeah, it's rooted back from Ireland, United Kingdom and
France and then it, you know,was brought over by immigrants.
Of course, Immigrants bring allthe great things, but here in
America the celebration startedin early 1900s consisted of
large parties to honor harvest,to share ghost stories.
(03:29):
Hey, we're being part of thatright now Sing and dance and the
original costumes were kind oflike not superheroes but maybe
just saints and angels.
But it kind of evolved toeverything else now.
Nancy (03:47):
So it didn't start with like a sexy bunny and stuff like
that.
It didn't, unfortunately.
Diana (03:51):
Interesting.
I would have imagined a sexynurse, sexy nurse.
Xenia (03:55):
Or sexy anything, really no exactly, but could you be a
sexy anything with that muchclothes back in those tanks?
Diana (04:03):
I don't think that was okay back in the day, just
throwing it out there.
Xenia (04:09):
Well, extra cleavage, maybe that's what made it.
Diana (04:14):
So, yeah, that's just a little coverage about Halloween.
I mean, we still celebrate tothis day and we have way more
fun now, and we're still, in away, spooking away all the
ghosts, but the other losmuertos is kind of.
Xenia (04:26):
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, Before you go on with your
Dia de los Muertos.
My bad, go ahead.
What's your favorite Halloweentradition or what's your
favorite thing to do duringHalloween?
Diana (04:36):
I have an answer for this the I don't know.
As a little immigrant, at onetime I received a little a ball
of popcorn, and I don't know why, but I thought this was great.
I had never seen popcorn in aball form and so I don't know.
That's one of the things thatalways, whenever I see those,
(04:57):
the candy, but like thatspecific, that, yeah, that
specific shape, that specificsnack I get, I don't know, it
makes me happy, it makes meexcited for Halloween, but
that's the one thing that justkind of gets me like going in
the spookiness seeing all thesnacks, and especially that one
snack.
That's cute, that's super cute.
Xenia (05:18):
Thanks.
Nancy (05:21):
I think for me is like watching all the scary movies
and maybe going to like ahaunted house and things like
that.
I was never like very intoHalloween, like dressing up and
anything like that.
I think I have been morerecently.
But yeah, I love watching scarymovies and just being in the
mood for them.
Xenia (05:43):
Same.
So at work we always have, likewe always just dress up to see
who in the work area has abetter theme, and I'm always so
excited to come up with themesand always like we're doing this
I like to make my own costumes.
Diana (06:00):
And.
Xenia (06:01):
I love, just like the scary movies and the decorations
and everything's so creepy.
Nancy (06:07):
Yeah.
Xenia (06:07):
It just feels so like nice to me, I love everything
about Halloween.
Diana (06:11):
It's like a warm, like weird.
Xenia (06:14):
Yeah, it's different.
I don't know it's different,but I get it.
Diana (06:18):
What are you going to be for this?
This I don't know yet.
Don't share it.
Well, I don't know yet.
Xenia (06:22):
Well, I don't know yet I've been thinking about it,
because last year we were I wasa zombie princess, which was
pretty fun, huh, okay, yeah,zombie Cinderella, oh right.
Diana (06:33):
Zombie Cinderella.
Nancy (06:36):
Oh yeah, that's great.
Do you guys prefer when?
If you dress up to be somethingscary or something slutty?
Diana (06:43):
Scary.
I always is slutty.
I rotate between a sexy vampire.
Do you have a rotation?
Nancy (06:53):
Yeah, she has a rotation A sexy witch or a sexy devil.
I've seen the devil.
Xenia (07:00):
Have you, I think I've seen the sexy vampire.
Nancy (07:03):
I have pictures of that sexy devil I have a video of
that devil, oh in the cage yeah.
Diana (07:13):
I remember yeah.
Nancy (07:14):
Did I get?
Diana (07:15):
money that day.
Nancy (07:21):
No no not that day, I wasn't that day.
Diana (07:24):
Oh, I remember that now.
I love that Good time yeah.
Xenia (07:27):
Very good time.
I was Lilo and I had to stay inthe car.
Diana (07:34):
Thank you, you guys remember that you were Harry.
Nancy (07:37):
Potter.
Yes, oh, I remember now I had agreener, actually, but oh, you
were from the Harry Potterfamily.
I think that shows who we areas people the devil Fucking nerd
(08:01):
and we just really love.
Xenia (08:06):
I loved it because we had stitch just sitting at the
table drinking.
Yeah, I just wanted to know,about your time.
No, I love that.
Go on with Day of the Dead.
Diana (08:22):
In a little bit.
Let me just point out thatHalloween is a very holiday for
me because I always get fuckedup.
Xenia (08:28):
Not this year or last year or I remember.
Diana (08:32):
Anyways, let's move on.
Now we're going to be talkingabout the other, those martyrs,
the day of the dead.
Yes, it's still very spooky,but this is not a holiday to
scare the spirits, such asHalloween.
This is a holiday to invite thespirits.
It kind of started with peoplenot wanting to mourn.
(08:57):
They don't want to say goodbye,they don't want to, they don't
want them to leave.
So this day it's a celebration.
It started many years ago withthe Aztec and Nawa people.
I'm not sure about that, but tothem, actually, mourning was
considered to be disrespectfuland because they still
(09:21):
considered the dead to be partof the community.
Oh wow, I love that.
I don't necessarily like thisthought because, I mean, the
person is dead, but I like theidea.
I like the idea that they werenot going to forget their loved
ones.
Nancy (09:37):
That's beautiful.
Diana (09:39):
It's just the way to keep their memory alive.
The idea de los muertos is whenthe dead temporarily return to
the earth to be by our side, andmany celebrations take place
during this day.
I just learned this today aswell.
The first day this is November1st.
It's a celebration orinvitation for all the children
(10:01):
the children to come in and getback, basically, or celebrating.
It's called Dia de losAngelitos.
I did not know this.
The second day and the thirdday this would be the second and
the third of November.
The second is Dia de losDifuntos.
This is adults, part of thesecond day, and the third day is
(10:22):
just overall, dia de losMuertos.
This celebrates all spirits,including your pets.
I thought that was verythoughtful just because they're
considering everyone.
I thought this was very special.
It's not a somber day, it's nota day to be sad.
(10:43):
It's a day to celebrate lifeand color and food and snacks
and people that are dead andpeople that are alive just
coming together.
Many times you will seeofrendas or offerings.
These are kind of a centerpiece, I guess, where you put
(11:05):
pictures, you put up food, youput up snacks, you put candles,
especially because candles aresupposed to guide the ghost into
your house.
I'm sorry, not the ghost, butthe spirit.
For children.
You can put toys in there Then.
Marigolds are also extremelyimportant.
There's an actual word for here, Sampasuchi.
(11:28):
I love that.
Thank you for saying that.
I could not be able to say it.
This is also helped to putaround the grave sites to
actually guide them back totheir stones, to help them back
to their grave.
I also do not know.
Nancy (11:44):
This is such a beautiful and meaningful tradition.
Diana (11:49):
It's been passed along from thousands of years.
As we mentioned, something thatwe see very often the calaveras
, or the skulls, and thecatrinas, which is the standing
skeleton.
These are also kind of to.
They're made up very elegantlyand they're decorated very
(12:11):
elegantly to also portray like abetter symbol or a happier
symbol of death.
I think I don't know.
I grew up in north of Mexico soI didn't have a lot of this
growing up, but I'm very glad tohave learned this and to be
covering this as well.
Nancy (12:29):
That's interesting that you say that, because I also
grew up in northern Mexico andChihuahua and the other is
Martos was never something thatwe celebrated.
I actually didn't startlearning about it until we moved
here, and very recently a lotmore with, like the movie Coco
and stuff like that, yeah, butit's so beautiful, I love every
detail.
Xenia (12:51):
When I was a kid, I think I was a little scared because
in Nayarit, where I'm from, mymom had a few people that had
passed away and she used to makethese, like they're called,
coronas, like decorations fortheir cemetery.
And she would make like papermerry-golds and decorate these
coronas with and she would takethem to a cemetery as a gift to
(13:14):
like the people that had passed.
And Then we would go and therewas like this like parade type
of thing and they had like scarythings, like To me and they
were scary at the time because Iwas a child, but there was like
a la vera's and the heat, thoseand like it was just all the
things that Diana talked about.
And I remember being like whatis this, you know?
(13:35):
But I didn't understand it.
It's a.
As I got older I understoodmore about it and I now I'm so
thankful that it's such a bigpart of our culture and like I
look forward every year to justmaking a little friend for my
family and just Decorating itand it makes me feel like they
(13:58):
really are here, like my dadreally comes, my, my grandma's
really come visit and even ifit's just like Remembering them,
it's such a positive way ofremembering.
Diana (14:09):
And yeah, and that's the whole point is just to remind
them, them, remember them and doit positively.
Nancy (14:14):
Yeah, yeah.
Xenia (14:16):
So I recently learned about this place in Mexico and
can't betcha, to be exact, Ifound the name here.
Yeah, the poch poch poch muchin el municipio, the I don't
know how to say that, but it'sin can't betcha, in Mexico and
the people there, they go to thecemetery and they Actually open
the caskets of their, theirloved ones and they clean them.
Nancy (14:40):
Oh, wow.
Xenia (14:40):
So every year, for for around the other most mortals,
they go to the cemetery, theyopen these caskets, they they
start setting them up, dependingon how long the person's been
dead.
I think there's a time wherethey do it like it.
I think it's like a six year orsomething after the people have
passed, but they go and cleanthem and Set them up and it's
(15:03):
like a respect, it's arespectful way of loving them
and it's such a different, likeit looks so morbid when I first,
you know, but they sit thereand they talk to them and they
lovingly clean them and and it'sjust like such a Different way
of honoring the people thatpassed in such a different way
(15:26):
to like continue to love themand like Still, in their own way
, help them out.
I was like wow, like it wasjust an interesting.
Yeah, that's very interesting.
Diana (15:36):
I, that's I'm learning this right now.
Yes, you're right, it doessound very morbid, but I can
understand the thoughtfulnessbehind it.
Right, and that's gross.
That's what I was.
No, but shout out to them fordoing that.
And that's crazy how youmentioned that they have like a
waiting period, because theyknow that there's gonna be a
(15:59):
period where the body is notgonna be suitable to handle like
us.
Yeah and you know and I'm alsothinking about the history of
like how these people came aboutto doing this back in the day
and like yeah, so it's passeddown generation after generation
exactly something that's beenhappening in this particular
town for maybe hundreds andhundreds Exactly and I don't
(16:21):
know.
I just get to appreciate howrich the history is yeah and the
and also the tradition thatthis Continues to happen
nowadays, especially with Idon't know.
I feel like we get moreSensitive in a way and we're
like you know I don't want todeal with that, but now people
are like no, we're gonnacontinue this and we're gonna
continue celebrating the lifeand taking care of our dead ones
(16:43):
, yeah, yeah, it's a great wayto show your love and respect.
Nancy (16:46):
I mean a great way for you if that's how you choose to
do it.
Yeah, but definitely superinteresting.
I don't think I could do it.
Diana (16:55):
Honestly I don't think I could do it, but I'll stick to
the off-rama.
Xenia (16:59):
But it's cool that they do like.
I think it's just reallyinteresting that I think you
have to see, see death in such adifferent way to be able to be
able to do something like that.
So I'm I'm interested to see orknow what their mind like, what
their thoughts about death anddying are.
Diana (17:20):
Oh yeah, like their initial thoughts on how they got
to this point.
Xenia (17:23):
Yeah, that would be cool, Like that'd be very cool to
learn.
Yeah, because it's not likethey're Desensitized of it, like
that.
They're still love andappreciate their families.
But they see this body, thesebones, have something different.
You know, that's pretty cool tolearn, yeah.
Diana (17:41):
I'll stick to no, but I do want to go back to another
point that you made of, likesetting up your altar.
That's something that I startedto do just recently, like two
years ago, basically, because itI, I like it.
I like the feeling of Maybethey are here visiting, yeah,
and at least the people thathave passed, some people I
(18:04):
really truly cared about and Iit feels comforting that, hey,
maybe they're gonna come in,check in, have a little snack,
have a little water and thenjust leave.
Yeah, I don't know, I reallylike the idea of that and that's
something Even if you're notfrom Latin America or whatever,
you can still celebrate this.
You can still celebrate thelife and the death of a person.
Nancy (18:25):
Yeah, I like it and I like the part where it's like a
positive celebration.
Diana (18:30):
Yes.
Nancy (18:31):
A day to be sad or anything.
It's like you want to celebrateeverything that they liked and
welcome them back to your life,at least for that day.
Xenia (18:38):
I love that we can also celebrate pets.
Yeah, yeah, that was cuteBecause I feel like pets are
such a big part, become such abig part of your life and, like
I know, losing my pets has beenreally tough.
And you know, I didn't eventhink about this, but I'm gonna
start putting their picture upin my alter yeah.
Diana (19:00):
Yeah, I have my pet Selena.
She was my pet, but I have herup and I have had her up and my
great-grandma I love it.
That's who I've put up, andI've also learned that you have
to include the four elements.
Xenia (19:17):
So I didn't know this.
Diana (19:19):
Water, wind, earth and fire, and also you have to put
salt.
Xenia (19:24):
Yeah.
Diana (19:25):
And the salt that I learned that this is.
I thought it was gonna be forprotection, but it's actually
represents the continuance oflife.
Ooh, I love that, I know.
Nancy (19:34):
You were going witchy vibes.
Diana (19:37):
Yeah, exactly, I was getting witchy vibes because I
thought you were supposed to putthe salt to protect them.
Xenia (19:41):
Protect them.
Diana (19:42):
Yeah, but no, it's just represents life and I think
that's so.
We need to put water, water,wind.
Xenia (19:50):
How do we put wind?
Diana (19:52):
Great question, huh, you just blow in there.
Xenia (19:57):
once you know what I'm saying, I'll bring a fan near a
window.
Diana (20:01):
You could put it near a window, huh, but how could no?
But really, though, how canwind be represented?
Xenia (20:07):
That's a great question.
Diana (20:08):
That's a great question.
I'm gonna have to look that up.
And then, yes, going back tothe marigolds as well, those
help.
Xenia (20:17):
Maybe marigolds are wind, oh don't know how would that
happen?
Diana (20:26):
Um, the oh marigold flowers are used to guide the
souls of the departed during theday of the dead, so that's
actually gonna make the pathwayto and from.
Yeah, to and from.
And then, of course, you haveto include the relative or past
individuals' favorite foods orfavorite snacks, and especially
(20:50):
water as well.
Xenia (20:52):
Because they're thirsty when they get there.
Yeah.
Diana (20:54):
So did you do anything?
What do you do?
What do you put in your altar?
Xenia (20:59):
So I put my dad's picture and I put my Well, I call her
Grammy because she's technicallymy Grammy Also put my dad's mom
, my grandma.
So Grammy loved candy, so Ialways put Snickers or some like
M&Ms or some kind of like candy.
(21:21):
I always try to put candy forher, and my dad's favorite food
was chile verde de puerco withsome frijolitos de la olla, and
my mom used to make themtortillas recién hecha su mano.
So she always makes them thatwith a Coke and marshmallows
because she loved marshmallows.
And for my grandma I put Cokeas well, because she loved Coke
(21:42):
and coffee.
So I always put food and hopethe dogs don't eat it.
Yeah, and I always try to putfresh flowers, candles and papel
picado.
Diana (21:58):
That's something that I want to learn how to make, papel
picado, because it's also partof the putting up in your altar.
Buy it, no shame.
Let's see Something that I alsojust learned You're not
supposed to put an altar under abeam or a staircase, okay, um,
(22:19):
because this can createoppressive and heavy energy.
I know you know you don't wantwalking all over.
If it's under a staircase, thatmakes sense.
Actually, I put do you have analternancy?
Nancy (22:31):
No, I've never.
Xenia (22:32):
Are you going to do one this year now?
Nancy (22:34):
I've been thinking about it, actually, I think I'm going
to you should, for my grandma,yeah, and my uncle, yeah.
Actually, I think I'm going todo it.
Maybe we'll post pictures foreveryone.
Xenia (22:44):
That would be awesome.
Nancy (22:46):
And then if people want to share their pictures of their
altar, I would love that I havea logistical question and maybe
it's dumb when you put out food, then you eat it after, or do
you?
Xenia (22:59):
just throw it away.
It depends Um.
Sometimes I throw it away,sometimes we eat it, okay.
Nancy (23:03):
Yeah, it doesn't.
Diana (23:05):
It doesn't have like a meaning, no, Okay, but I mean,
you don't want to eat it becauseit can go stale.
Nancy (23:10):
Cause you leave it all day.
Diana (23:11):
Yeah, cause you leave it multiple days.
Xenia (23:13):
I've left my stuff multiple.
Yeah, I only put it out one,the main day, oh.
Diana (23:18):
The second.
Xenia (23:19):
Huh, but it's different for everybody.
Diana (23:21):
Okay, yeah, I've left it out.
Xenia (23:23):
For a month she's like oh shoot, I left it out for the
whole month.
Diana (23:28):
Oh dang, there's supplies what?
Nancy (23:32):
They call the wrong energy.
Diana (23:36):
No, but something that I want to make this year and I
didn't get to do it last year Um, a VPN.
I don't know if you guys knowwhat that is.
Yeah, um, it's like a yeah Um,but that was my great grandma's
favorite food, I think it was.
And then something that I wantto make an honor for her yeah, I
love it.
But other than that, I alsoinclude silver.
(23:58):
Are you supposed to includejewelry in there?
I?
Nancy (24:01):
don't know, but why not?
They liked it, if it'ssomething like cute and shiny.
Xenia (24:09):
So it's for you?
Diana (24:10):
No, it was for them Like hey look, here's some silver,
but I don't know if that'ssomething that I know it's your
altering, you can put whatever.
Yeah, I put it on there withgreat intentions.
Xenia (24:21):
Yeah, exactly that's what counts.
Diana (24:24):
And that's what counts in your um, in your altar as well.
Yes, that's crazy how um all ofthese holidays, I guess, or
celebrations, differ from thestates to state or area or
region in Mexico.
Nancy (24:38):
Is this a celebration that is that goes beyond Mexico?
Do we know or suggest aregional?
Xenia (24:44):
as far as I know, it's very, very Mexican, maybe
Central America.
Nancy (24:49):
Most likely America.
Let's look at how close we are.
Xenia (24:54):
As far as I'm concerned, yeah, I'm looking right now.
I'm excited for you to have a,not that of this year.
Yeah, me too, yeah.
Diana (25:01):
Actually okay.
While Mexico is the countrymost renowned for the other
little moutos, um, it'scelebrated across Latin America
and beyond, from Brazil to thePhilippines.
Xenia (25:10):
That's awesome.
Diana (25:11):
And it's.
Yeah, it's always the November1st and the 2nd.
Sometimes, at least in Mexico,it's a three day celebration, of
course.
Um, I mean I have to party, butyeah, so the countries do
celebrate the other littlemoutos, that's.
I would never expect someone inthe Philippines to be
celebrated.
I mean, good for them, yeah,that's awesome.
But maybe that same feeling ofhonoring the spirit or the dead
(25:37):
is passed along.
Nancy (25:38):
Yeah.
Diana (25:38):
That's pretty beautiful.
Xenia (25:41):
I'm sure every culture has their own way of celebrating
their, their, the people thathave loved them, so it'd be
interesting to know howeverybody else does it.
Diana (25:51):
Yeah, yeah, I love to see how they how they celebrate,
how do they do they put up analtar?
Xenia (25:56):
Do they not do that?
Yeah, like what do you?
What do you include?
Yeah, how do you remember?
Diana (26:01):
I feel like I have heard from other countries like
cleaning be uh there, what's itcalled?
Diseased persons, graves andbodies.
I feel like it's not just likea thing from Mexico, I feel like
I've heard about it in otherplaces Interesting.
Xenia (26:16):
Yeah, it didn't seem like too foreign.
It seemed, it seemed familiar.
Diana (26:23):
It seemed familiar, that's interesting.
Nancy (26:26):
I love that.
Diana (26:26):
I love that Also kind of the US is kind of embracing it a
little bit, yeah, and I thinkit's not necessarily with um, I
guess the celebration, but atleast picking up a little bit of
the um costumes and or makingit into a costume.
Xenia (26:45):
Well, and I think, like you said, this is a a
celebration that I'm okaysharing with people, and I'm
okay people taking on this, thiscelebration, and making it
their own in a way, becauseyou've, most of us have lost
somebody that's dear to ourhearts and most of us are
looking for some way to makethat grief a little lighter.
(27:05):
And I feel like, as far as forme, the A de los Muertos really
did help me with that grief, butalso like how cool would it be
for other people, even if youknow they're not Mexican, to be
able to just put up a littlealter and say I'm thinking about
you and hoping that you arehere with me, and if that gives
them a little hope and a littleWhatever relieve for that moment
(27:29):
, like then, then I'm okay withthat.
Nancy (27:31):
I think a lot of our traditions and things like that
can be shared if they'reRespected yes, yes, there's that
respect, right, yeah and yeahit's.
I mean, it's beautiful.
If we all have that in common,then why not share it and do it
and continue to show our lovefor people who have passed?
Diana (27:49):
Yes, I think their respect part is Extremely
important.
Yeah, cuz you know there'salways those people are gonna be
in front of this.
Yes, that's totally okay.
You know it's not okay.
It's not okay, but it's okaybecause you know someone will
come out and get to you.
I'm gonna be a look at the rena.
That's rena is the, is thestanding school, the elegant
(28:12):
standing school lady, and if youmake fun, it's okay to do it,
but like, just know that she'sgonna come back be aware.
Xenia (28:18):
Yeah, she's gonna come and pull your feet.
Yes, you will call the year onon you oh.
Diana (28:33):
Well, now that we have apologized her, maybe she will,
maybe she'll be Love that for us.
Xenia (28:39):
You guys need to listen to the previous episode.
Diana (28:42):
Yeah, to kind of have an idea of what we're talking about
, oh man, but I do hope thatsomeday I get to go to Mexico
and be like and celebrate fullyhow it's intended to be
celebrated Exactly like thewhole be there for the whole.
I don't want to call it afestival, but yeah kind of sort
(29:03):
of.
So I hope that someday I'm ableto go out there and celebrate
it and celebrate it with therest of the people and enjoy all
those.
Xenia (29:11):
Yes, let's go together.
Diana (29:13):
Yeah, yes, done as record a podcast.
Xenia (29:23):
I think we should take this a little lighter.
And well, okay, was, is itreally lighter?
Nancy (29:28):
different, a little different yeah.
Xenia (29:31):
Yeah, yeah, and do some of that Diana's daily shit, oh.
Diana (29:41):
Man oh man.
Yeah, it's not gonna be anylighter, I'm sorry.
Today we're gonna be talkingabout the separation of religion
and politics who am heatedalready, like the founding
father, others intended to andthey wrote in the declaration,
(30:02):
not in the declaration, I'm sosorry in the Constitution, but
no, but this is actuallyrelating to Mexico, because
they're right now, they're aboutto get ready for elections and
I mean they can't release withus as well, of course, in the US
.
But there is a candidate who ispushing the religious idea to
gain momentum, to gain support.
(30:24):
Yeah, and I don't think that'sappropriate.
Not only do I not think it'sappropriate, because not
everyone Shares their religionbut, also, it's not appropriate
to use religion in this.
Xenia (30:38):
Manor Yep, you know I.
Diana (30:41):
I may not be the most religious person, but I do think
that it should be respected,and pushing it with politics is
not being respectful.
So I'm I don't know man.
Xenia (30:52):
Okay, I'm gonna.
I'm gonna get into this becauseI'm so excited about this
candidate and I Absolutelycannot stand this guy and I'm so
mad at everything he stands forbecause he is so freaking fake
like yeah he cannot sit thereand say that he is all about
Mexico and he, you know, lovesthe Mexican people and the
(31:12):
Mexican people.
That's in the Mexican people,that.
And yet he's best friend withsomebody that has talked so much
crap about the Mexican people,that has put our name down, that
has tried to bring us down.
So you, you can't be all aboutthe Mexican people when you're
friends with people that hateMexican people.
Diana (31:32):
And I'm gonna a little bit context this politician, not
the individual, the Possiblecandidate, not him, but the
other who's.
He supports this Trump.
Yeah, that's why we're mad,yeah.
Nancy (31:45):
Not just because he supports them, it's just the the
idea that he's trying toperpetuate in Mexico are things
that are not going to help thecountry move forward.
I feel like there's been a lotof changes lately that are
making, honestly, the countrybetter.
Xenia (31:59):
Yeah, for everyone, for, like, the entire society, not
just certain people individualsyeah, and he is trying to move
backwards, yeah and and he hidesbehind this whole religious
like what was me.
I found my way like.
He used to party and drink andbe in.
(32:21):
He was a celebrity and actorand he used to be doing all the
things and now he judges peoplefor.
And now he's better thaneveryone else because he found
God and God saved him and that'scool.
If that's what you feel, that'sfine, but you don't have to
push that on everyone else likeno, and I just can't stand the
(32:41):
guy like I, I can't stand it.
Diana (32:44):
Yeah, yeah, going back to your point of being a hypocrite
, yeah exactly.
How can you support someoneelse's shitty ideas and then try
to bring in to the country thatthis other Politician was
extremely hateful towards?
Yeah, you know that's it's notokay.
How does this individual thinkit's okay?
(33:05):
It's not okay to do that?
How do you support?
Xenia (33:10):
Maybe this is Senya's daily shit.
He supports this.
He just recently produced thismovie that was all about child
trafficking, and I have so manyfeelings about that.
Diana (33:26):
I haven't watched the movie.
I'm not gonna watch it.
It's ridiculous Because I endedup being that one of the
director directors was abusingwomen exactly.
Xenia (33:35):
So, like, how can you stand behind?
Like, okay, fine, yes, childrenare being trafficked, that's a
real thing.
But why are we talking aboutthe children that are being
abused in all the churches?
Like, let's talk about that too, like don't come here and
pretend like you're better thaneveryone else because you're
saving children in Countrieswhere they're being trafficked,
(33:57):
but why aren't you saving thechildren that are being abused
by priests?
Yeah why aren't we doing thatinstead and why aren't we making
a movie about that?
Diana (34:04):
Why are we making a movie about it and not just doing
actually like doing exactly so?
I'm sorry, no.
Nancy (34:11):
I can't stand it.
Xenia (34:12):
I can't stand it even, and I'm sorry.
Diana (34:18):
No, people should be offended.
You know it's okay to beoffended, it's a double standard
.
It's a double standard to me,and hopefully the offense gets
you to that point of I mean, Ihope so Understanding that you
can't be pro one thing andagainst the other thing right
right, you know you have to beall or nothing.
I'm sorry I should take thatback, but I don't know.
Xenia (34:40):
Check your standards, yeah you can be against abortion
, but being okay with childrenbeing raped by, yeah, people in
the church like that's just notokay.
Nancy (34:49):
I think the problem is that he's using religion exactly
and and that's the issue withall these things, right, Like
it's okay if you want to believein whatever you want to believe
right.
No judgment and that theproblem is when you use your
religion to judge other people,which is so.
Xenia (35:03):
Exactly.
You're not looking at what yourreligion's doing or what you're
doing.
Diana (35:08):
Yeah, like the whole point about religion is not
judging, and being understanding, loving and being loving or
respectful, but yet here we arepushing the this terrible agenda
, yeah.
Xenia (35:21):
I don't know.
Diana (35:22):
I think we just wanted to talk about this because I think
people should really separatetheir Way of thinking from
politics and what's gonnabenefit them and the religion it
should just not be allowed tobe a topic of conversation when
you're running for any sort ofoffice, like any position in
government, basically Exactlybecause they're why, why, why?
Xenia (35:46):
Why?
And if we're gonna do this forreligion, then why are we
bringing Buddhism?
Islam and all these otherreligions into the mix, like why
are we only following onebelief, like we're only going
about Christianity and that'snot the only religion in the
world?
So I mean, if you're gonnabring in religion and politics,
(36:07):
then why are we bringing all thereligions into?
Diana (36:09):
politics?
No, it's.
Whatever people feelconvenience to fight, it's
unacceptable.
Xenia (36:16):
So if you're not gonna bring everyone in, just don't
bring nothing at all.
Diana (36:21):
Don't bring anything at all.
Anybody in any religion outsideof politics, exactly Because
that gets tricky in itself.
Nancy (36:29):
Separation of church and state Perfect.
Diana (36:32):
Operation of church and state.
Please and shout out to Mexicofor two women?
Xenia (36:39):
Yeah, I hope one of the women and this other candidate
is not even.
God, I feel so mad.
Diana (36:47):
I haven't heard a lot about him, so I've only heard
about the two female candidates.
I hope it stays like that.
Nancy (36:53):
Yeah, it worries me a little bit, just because he was
famous, so people know the name.
Xenia (36:58):
Yeah and I'm afraid like they will recognize the name and
choose it because of that,because he was like I'm afraid
it's gonna be like a Trump thing.
Diana (37:05):
Oh man.
Nancy (37:06):
But let's hope not.
Yeah, let's hope not.
Diana (37:09):
But anyway, shout out to Mexico for doing that.
Yes, mexico.
Xenia (37:12):
And don't get your religion involved in your
politics.
Diana (37:17):
Thank you.
This is Senya's Daily Shit.
I love that.
Xenia (37:23):
That was great.
It was so heated about that one.
Diana (37:25):
I'm sorry, diana.
Oh, it's okay, I like it.
I like it when other peoplefeel the rage.
Xenia (37:33):
Stand him.
Diana (37:34):
Nancy, that reminds me that you haven't had a Nancy's
Daily Shit.
Nancy (37:38):
Have you ever seen me rage about anything?
Not yet, not yet.
You haven't.
Xenia (37:46):
I mean yes, but not on the podcast.
So we're just waiting for that.
Nancy (37:50):
Okay, I'm one of these things yeah.
I'm waiting for you If there'sanything that pisses me off,
I'll let you know the.
Xenia (37:59):
P word, but she's just so calm and so like put together,
that's what we think.
No, she is, but she is, but sheis.
Diana (38:09):
She says Girl you're the one saying that.
Xenia (38:11):
Anyway, let's go back to Halloween and the other little
smart girls.
Halloween.
Diana (38:19):
They both have Christian background and it kind of has
evolved into something better.
Nancy (38:27):
I think it's a fun time for people to you know, remember
people they've lost whocelebrate now with Halloween
like have fun and dress upwhatever you want it to be I
don't know.
I think it's just a cool timeto to do all of those things and
, like I said, I'll be watchingall the movies and I'm excited.
Diana (38:46):
It's that time of the year.
Stay tuned for Nancy's scarymovie list oh yeah.
Nancy (38:54):
I like that.
Xenia (38:54):
Okay.
Nancy (38:55):
Okay, did we say our favorite scary movie?
Diana (38:58):
Never thought of one.
The grudge, yeah, you said thegrudge.
I immediately.
Nancy (39:03):
Yeah, the Strangers was mine.
Diana (39:08):
I can't think of one.
No, nothing scares you.
No, I don't watch it becauseI'm too scared.
Xenia (39:15):
Did you watch any of the insidious movies?
Diana (39:18):
I watched one of them and I believe it was the second one
.
That one was very spooky.
You know what I can think aboutthe exorcist.
Nancy (39:27):
The original.
Diana (39:28):
Yeah, I watched them when I was very young and I was
spooked the fuck out, and then Ilearned that there was like
some weird shit happening inthis set and stuff like that,
and I was even more spooked out,like two or three of the actors
died or something like that.
Yeah, they had like weirdinstances and then there was
death and yeah, there was a lotof spooky things going on.
Nancy (39:50):
Did you movie the Hussany like religious component, like
that?
I feel like there's always likedeath or something.
Diana (39:55):
And that's another point why it shouldn't be included in
the policies.
Nancy (40:00):
There's nothing to do with it anyway, but yes, but
yeah, it's the operation ofchurch.
Xenia (40:07):
Bring it back.
You said the viscid is yourfavorite, that's.
Nancy (40:11):
Jerome's favorite Favorite is the viscid.
Okay, well, tell us in thecomments what your favorite
riskier movie is.
We can watch them.
Diana (40:17):
And then I'll show.
If you all show, my shiwa wascoming here.
If you have an altar, we'll besharing ours.
I'll try to share mine.
I'm actually getting preparedfor it.
But share one with us.
We'll post it.
We'll celebrate it together.
Xenia (40:35):
And if we didn't mention any things that we should put in
our altar.
Nancy (40:39):
So you know about you should let us know.
Yeah, as a first timer, I'mgonna need all the help.
Xenia (40:44):
Yes, I'm so excited for you.
Diana (40:50):
We also need to figure out what the wind is for.
Xenia (40:52):
Yeah yeah, so if one of you guys know, let us know,
because we need to know.
Diana (40:58):
Hold on.
Thank you so much foreverything you guys.
Xenia (41:02):
Thank you.
Thank you for listening.
We'll see you next time.
Diana (41:05):
Love you.
Xenia (41:05):
Bye.
Nancy (41:07):
Thank you for listening to Latina State of Mind,
produced by us, your awesomehosts, diana Senia and Nancy.
Special shout out to Jerome,our editor.
Don't forget to follow us onInstagram at LSOM underscore
podcast and on Facebook atLatina State of Mind.
Hasta la próxima.
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