It’s a quarter past Halloween, and retail stores are already in full Thanksgiving and Christmas bloom. But last week, Halloween and Día de los Muertos were in full swing at Arizona Western College. A campus filled with Jesuses, 70's hippies, Minions, pan de muerto and marigolds.
To celebrate Día de los Muertos, Arizona Western College held the only Catrina competition in Yuma County. Students, faculty, staff and community members showcased traditional, highly detailed Catrina and Catrín attire, face paint and headpieces. The contest featured cash prizes, including $400 for first place.
Judges received a scoring sheet with three criteria: makeup, attire and presentation. Martha Martinez, a Spanish professor at Arizona Western College, served as one of the judges. She said choosing a winner was a challenge.
Martha Martinez, AWC Spanish professor:
“It is always an exciting experience and a challenging one. Participants are very creative and spend a lot of time making their dresses and attire.”
This year’s winner was 8-year-old Ana Lia Monjardin, who has participated in the competition for several years. She and her mother, Liliana Garcia, usually begin preparing about six months in advance.
Liliana Garcia, winner’s mother:
“Es por la tradición mexicana. Lo hacemos por amor al arte.
“¿Y qué le dice su hija? ¿Le gusta hacerlo? De hecho, tuvimos un viaje por una participación en la banda de la escuela donde está. Y yo le dije que este año no participáramos. Me dijo: ‘Mamá, por favor.’ Y por eso ahora lo hicimos a la carrera. Pues quedó padre.”
Garcia said they participate to honor Mexican tradition and for the love of art. She had asked Ana Lia to skip the contest this year because of a school band commitment, but her daughter begged to enter. They ended up preparing in a hurry, Garcia said, and Ana Lia’s entry still stood out.
Martinez explained the history behind the Catrina. Mexican printmaker José Guadalupe Posada created La Calavera Garbancera around 1910 to 1913 as social criticism, mocking people who adopted European styles while rejecting their Indigenous roots.
“It was social criticism, to show that we can pretend to be something else, but at the end of the day, when we die, we are all bones.”
In 1947, Mexican muralist Diego Rivera painted the figure in an elegant dress and feathered hat, naming her La Catrina — the feminine counterpart to the elegantly dressed Catrín.
Martinez said the image later became part of Día de los Muertos celebrations. Posada’s original print was black and white; today, Catrina makeup is often bright and colorful.
