Día de los Muertos is a celebration that honors the lives of those that have passed away. Although the holiday is primarily celebrated in Mexico, the cultural tradition has transcended worldwide thanks to social media.
Content creator, Livette Ruvalcaba Guerrero honors the tradition of Día de los Muertos all year long. She is the creator of @lacatrinaandante, an Instagram account dedicated to honor the Mexican tradition. Here, you can see her transform into the traditional iconic Catrina, an elegant tall female skeleton. Guerrero wears distinguishing black and white makeup on her face to look like a calavera accompanied by elaborate folklore dresses, some adorned with symbolic images of charreria, mariachi, flowers and agaves.
Livette moved to the United States 17 years ago. She recalls this time in her life as a difficult transition because she had to adapt to learning a new culture and language.
“Through social media I found a way to stay connected with people in my community, people that were from the same country and same city. Little by little I started connecting with others on social media and meeting incredible people. I began to feel more at home.”
During the pandemic she created @lacatrinaandante. Livette says she was already creating content as Catrina and received positive responses. She also noticed the trends of Día de los Muertos gaining popularity over the past years in the U.S. Since then, the tradition has grown rapidly not only among the Mexican community but among various ethnic groups. Livette wanted to honor her culture and the tradition of Día de los Muertos year round. She gained popularity through her social platform and eventually ranked successful in collaborating with other Día de los Muertos content creators like @soyelcharromexican.
@soyelcharromexican has also revolutionized social media platforms as an ambassador of Mexico. El Charro González brings a small piece of Mexico everywhere he goes, centering his content around Dia de los Muertos.
In 2016, Mexico City held its first Día de los Muertos parade. Although many traditionally celebrate at home and among cemetery grounds, the parade was a first of its kind, celebrating the holiday in the middle of the fifth largest city in the world. In Oct. 2020 @soyelcharromexican became viral with a Día de los Muertos video that gained over seven million views.
“Día de Los Muertos is celebrated differently in different states. We share this tradition with the world with open arms. In 2018, I represented Mexico at the World Cup in Russia. People were fascinated with Mexican culture and my character as a calavera. Calaveras who enjoy life to the fullest, who dance, and celebrate, and that is exactly what Día de los Muertos celebration is all about”.
Guerrero and González have over 800k followers on all of their combined social media platforms. People from all over the world now tune into their lively content about Día de los Muertos and its connection to all of humanity. Celebrating the afterlife has made both of them ambassadors of Mexican culture beyond the country’s borders, and advocates of the magical tradition of Día de Los Muertos. On Nov 1 and 2, people remember the spirits of those who are no longer here on earth, but as Gonzales says, “... will forever live in our hearts.”