OCEANSIDE: A time to honor, remember loved ones

Dia de los Muertos celebration held in Oceanside

By Shannon Wingard - For the North County Times | Sunday, November 2, 2008 8:05 PM PST ∞

OCEANSIDE ---- With a cross made of sticks and marigolds hanging above, Anna Zasueta said the altar she and her sister built was to honor the lives of their parents.

The altar was one of many displayed Sunday at the eighth annual Dia de los Muertos celebration, also known as the Day of the Dead, in downtown Oceanside.

On the altar, Zasueta displayed her parents' favorite items ---- her father's baseball cap, her mother's jogging outfit sewn onto a remembrance bear, and pieces of candy.

For her, the items keep their memories alive.

"I think it is really important to remember that they were here and always will be," the San Diego resident said.

Thousands of people attended the celebration hosted by MainStreet Oceanside.

While many people used the occasion to remember loved ones, others just enjoyed the festive atmosphere featuring Mexican food and music.

For Krista Gomez of Valley Center, the day represented the first time she could honor her brother, Horatio Gomez, who died on Sept. 1. He was 21 years old.

She used chalk to write this tribute on the street: "Those who give love to our lives stay forever in our hearts."

His name was also written in marigolds, which symbolize death.

Gomez said she displayed items that her brother cherished most, including a boxing glove and photos of his loved ones.

She said the altar was "part of the healing" that she thinks people in mourning need.

"With this tradition, you never forget about them, because they live with you," she said.

Her brother's girlfriend, Ashley Guzman, also of Valley Center, said the photos of Horatio were the most important part of the altar.

"He was a great guy who was always smiling," she said, adding that the tribute "captures who he was."

In another area of the celebration known as Chalk Cemetery, hundreds of people paid tribute to their loved ones using chalk. The names of people who died were written on squares of cement, which were decorated with marigold petals and candles.

On his square, Rob Schwarz of Oceanside said he honored his "grammy" with her name and a picture of piano keys because she loved music. He said the chalk memorial was a celebration of her life instead of a mourning of her death.

"She left a lasting mark on everyone she came in contact with," he said. "Even though the chalk is temporary, she deserves to be remembered forever."

Erin Mackenzie, who came to the event with Schwarz, honored several people who died, including an ex-boyfriend, her sister and a friend.

"It's cool that it's a tradition," she said of the event.

Essie Garcia of San Marcos said she has been fascinated by the celebration since she was a little girl.

"It's so optimistic," she said. "People accept that death is part of life, and it happens to everyone."

Garcia, 16, said it also helps people learn to not be afraid of death.

"The celebration helps people to remember to live in the present," she said.