• 5 months ago
by Xelena González
illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia

Category

📚
Learning
Transcript
00:00Remembering.
00:06Written by Xelena Gonzalez.
00:09Illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia.
00:12To Bajou Kat and all the big little loves who have touched my heart, Querina cha-cha
00:17shownce ye yuggerous spotties in a red pako and santo.
00:22XG.
00:23For Simon Limon, your fierce fluffy love lives in my heart always.
00:29A M G.
00:59Sam.
01:22Today I prepare your favorite meal and serve it in your special place.
01:27I gather all your treasured toys and bring you the brightest flowers.
01:32I whistle the notes you liked the most.
01:35The ones that mean it's time to walk.
01:39And in the wind I hear your reply like an echo in my heart.
01:43The rain joins our rhythm with a click-clack-tap-a-tap.
01:47I dry my tears and pour fresh water for you my constant companion.
01:53Today I walk our trail alone to bring more memories home a bit of earth and a bright
01:57red bud.
01:59A warm stone to skip and a crocked stick you would have made your own.
02:04The house seems empty without you here.
02:07So our family fills it with photos and stories until we feel like you are near.
02:13Together, we light candles and make a path of petals to guide your way home on this sacred
02:19night.
02:20When we welcome back our loving loyal friends.
02:24This is how we thank you for your fierce protection and your warmth on cold nights.
02:30For the comfort you gave on sad days and the smiles you offered on bright ones.
02:36This is the way we remember you.
02:39Authors note.
02:40In 2018, Adriana and I had the good fortune of traveling around the county in support
02:47of our first book which allowed our artistic dreams to come true.
02:52That same year, life dealt us major heartbreak as we both lost our beloved pet friends.
02:58My Paju cat grew very sick and died after being by my side for 17 years.
03:05Soon after, Adriana's dog Simon suffered an illness that took his life after 14 years
03:10of companionship.
03:13We won many awards that year, but we lost our best pet friends.
03:18Looking back, we like to think that our little buddies traveled with us for as long as they
03:23could and accompanied us into this next phase of our lives where we would have the courage
03:28to become independent artists and to share new stories with the world.
03:33Still, we miss Paju and Simon very much as we have missed our animal friends who have
03:38come and gone before them.
03:40I buried Paju in my backyard and that is where I sat when I wrote the first draft of
03:45this story.
03:47It was a way to ease my own heart and to offer comfort to my amigar Adriana who was also
03:52in mourning at her own house down the road.
03:56In the years since then, I have sent copies of this story to various friends who have
04:01expressed grief in losing their own pets.
04:05This is a way of showing compassion and a way of remembering.
04:09It is also an invitation to be part of a beautiful tradition passed on from our indigenous
04:14ancestors who saw death as an important part of life, like one continuous circle.
04:21Dia de Muertos has always been my favorite time of year because it helps me remember
04:26this important truth and to be less afraid of something that is very natural for us all.
04:32It is also a time of revelry with many colors joyful memories and customs plus lots of good
04:38food and music.
04:40Now the spot where I sat and cried for many days is decorated every November with vibrant
04:46flowers a toy mouse Paju's food dish and many of the same elements you see pictured in this
04:51book.
04:53If you feel called to honor your pet in the same way you may use this book as a guide
04:57to help you build your own or friend a.
05:00It is a beautiful and creative way of showing we remember.
05:05XG.
05:07XG's note.
05:08My little furry friend Simon was a a long-haired black Pomeranian.
05:13He came to me when he was three months old because a friend couldn't take care of him.
05:19I instantly fell head over heels in love with the little fluffy butt and squealed in joy,
05:24I love you so much.
05:27The very next thought was it's gonna hurt when you're gone.
05:31Fourteen years later Simon that bundle of glam rock flowing hair who accompanied me
05:36everywhere passed away.
05:38No longer would I hear the pitter-patter of paws that I came to expect every morning.
05:44It hurt badly.
05:46If you have lost a pet you know the feeling.
05:50It has been healing to work on this book.
05:52I'm so glad my friend Xelena shared her poem with me.
05:57By painting these pages I got to honor my dog Simon's memory and the paw print he left
06:02on my heart.
06:05Creating this artwork also helped me grieve other losses I've experienced.
06:10Plus, I think it is special that with the tradition of Dear Damoatoes we take time at
06:15least once a year to remember our loved ones in a positive way.
06:20I love to paint people I know and the faces that remind me of home.
06:25So for these illustrations I asked my friends Quijordel Alejandro Isoma Sebastian and Quijordzin
06:31if they would be willing to help me tell this story.
06:35They agreed.
06:37They too had recently lost their pet cat Indigo.
06:41We got to hang out for a day and took pictures of what we thought Xelena's short-haired
06:45xolioid skew indley.
06:48These photos helped me create the illustrations for this book.
06:53I cut up the pictures and then rearranged them like a puzzle to come up with ideas for
06:58the words.
06:59I ended up creating 20 paintings using acrylic paint on paper.
07:05I hope the artwork speaks to you and helps you grieve any special companions you might
07:10be remembering.
07:12We would like to note that some people do not include photos of the living on altars
07:17for the dead.
07:18In order to visually tell this story we chose to include pictures of the family with their
07:23pet.
07:25AMG!
07:26Building your own orfrienda.
07:28Background
07:30Every year, after the festivities of Halloween have passed, a new celebration begins throughout
07:36Mexico and many other parts of the Americas.
07:40Known as Dia de Muertos, or Day of the Dead, this tradition usually spans two days, the
07:461st of November and 2nd.
07:49Although traditions vary the first day is often reserved for remembering the angelitos
07:54or innocents.
07:56This refers to children or animal friends who are considered little angels or innocent
08:01ones.
08:03Getting Started
08:05If you'd like to build your own orfrienda or offering the main things you'll need are
08:09a quiet mind and an open heart.
08:13Choose a nice place outdoors or indoors to make your guest feel welcome.
08:18Your offering can include favorite foods and drinks as well as any items they enjoyed in
08:23their lifetime.
08:25For pets, this may mean toys blankets and treats.
08:30For humans, these items could include books, music, games, and other hobbies.
08:37Displaying their name and photos is a nice touch.
08:41Adding the Elements
08:43Since this custom has strong ties to indigenous culture many orfriendas have symbols of nature's
08:49elements, earth water fire and air.
08:52Can you find all four elements in the story?
08:56Earth can be represented by rocks wood sand seeds or anything that grows.
09:02Water might be poured into a glass for a human or into a dish for a pet.
09:07Fire and air are usually offered through candles and copal incense.
09:12Please make sure an adult handles the fire for you.
09:16Finally, the Cempasakil flower, or Mexican marigold, adds bright golden colors to the
09:22mix.
09:24You can even create a path of petals leading from outdoors to indoors.
09:29Make it your own.
09:31Since our pets are each unique, our offerings to them will also be one of a kind.
09:37Different families build orfriendas in different ways with dates and customs changing according
09:42to region or tradition.
09:45Some people may even add a mirror to their orfrienda as a reminder that life and death
09:49are part of one continuous circle.
09:53The End