This Saturday, November 2nd from 5pm-10pm, Nibble Kitchen will host chef Edwin Orellana of Dos Manos Kitchen to celebrate Día de los Difuntos. This pop-up is in support of the Día de los Muertos celebration hosted by Amantolli (located on the second floor of Bow Market) and former Nibble Chef-in-Residence Hiram Falfan of Taquisimo Tacos, also at Bow Market.
In the United States, we most commonly associate Día de los Muertos with Mexico. Movies and shows such as Pixar’s Coco tell the stories of this yearly celebration in Mexico, where people will celebrate by decorating with marigold flowers, create altars, visit gravesites, sing traditional songs and eat traditional meals. This tradition is arguably one of the biggest cultural practices in the region, UNESCO declared Día de los Muertos as a Patrimonial Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for Mexico. This declaration was in recognition of the Indigenous roots of Día de los Muertos and the impact socially and culturally that the celebration of Día de los Muertos continues to have in present day. However, Día de los Muertos is not only celebrated in Mexico. Nibble Chefs from El Salvador and Brazil explained to us a bit about their celebrations on the same days, and the ways in which they are similar, and different, from the celebration in Mexico.
One of the most important celebrations in Chef Edwin’s native El Salvador happens on November 2nd, known as Conmemoración del Día de los Fieles Difuntos which translates to “Commemoration of All Souls’ Day.” On this day Salvadorans who celebrate visit the cemeteries of loved ones bringing paint, paper flower wreathes, and cleaning supplies to renovate familial graves. It is also common for groups of musician to pass through the cemeteries to play favorite songs of loved ones who have passed. Comfort food is also a significant part of the celebration, some of the most typical food enjoyed on All Souls’ Day are pupusas, tamales, yuca frita, and hojuelas con miel.
In Brazil, November 2nd is known as O Dia de Finados, which also translates to All Souls’ Day. A marked difference between the observance in Brazil and the traditions in Mexico and El Salvador is that Dia de Finados in Brazil is not celebrated as a party or festival. Brazilians who observe the day do so somberly, visiting the graves of their loved ones with candles and flowers. The day is used to remember and pray for those who have passed, with close family and friends. It is not uncommon for people to get together for a meal before or after visiting gravesites.
Tomorrow is a significant day for many members of the Nibble and Somerville’s Latin American community. If you’d like to experience the Día de los Muertos/Dia de los Difuntos/Dia de Finados please join us at Bow Market! Chef Edwin will be serving pupusas and his special of the day Sopa del Pueblo! The event will start at 5:00 pm, including an Altar de Muertos, DJ, authentic Mexican food, face painting, and a mariachi band playing from 8:00 – 9:00 pm. We hope to see you there!
