Bread and tamale wrappers Day of the Dead 2018
Art in Los Angeles / Downtown / Downtown Los Angeles

Food for the dead on the altars in Grand Park Los Angeles 2018

by carollightwood
Food for Grandmothers Dia de los Muertos 2018
I love the photos of the two grandmothers, the two abuelas, surrounded by peanuts, a bowl of mangos and flowers.  Both the roses and the fruits appear artificial or waxed.

In the ancient Mayan/Mexican tradition, favorite foods and flowers are left for the dead on their graves in the cemetery.  In Los Angeles today, foods are left on the altars memorializing the dead.

Here is some of what I saw on altars in Grand Park for Dia de los Muertos, 2018.

Foods on the Yemeni altar Grand Park 2018
On the Yemeni altar were foods from the Middle East, including flat pita bread, baklava, hummus and yogurt.
chilis on Dia de los Muertos altar Los Angeles
Chilis for the dead.  I think those white objects are tea candles.
Bread and tamale wrappers for the dead 2018
Bread and tamale wrappers in front of this altar. Tamales are more closely associated with Christmas Eve in Los Angeles.
Peanuts, salt and corn husks on Dia de los Muertos altar Grand Park
Corn husks and peanuts were on many more altars than I can remember from previous years. The salt on this altar is considered to be a purifying agent.
black beans from South Central Farm Day of the DEad altar
From a community garden in South Central Los Angeles comes this altar with a “carpet” of black beans in front of it. The two figures made of white beans represent the snake deity Quetzalcoatl who bridges between the dead and the living. The pumpkins are definitely Halloween!
Day of the Dead food on an altar
Bottled water, corn, the ubiquitous peanuts and sugar skulls appear on this altar. Persimmons and pears, too.

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