"La vida es una carnaval." - Celia Cruz
Last Monday I was given the news that family passed away. Louie Del Valle was my brother and sister's godfather and like a Tio to me. His wife passed away in October of 2005. Both were amazing individuals. They had a loving marriage that I some day dream of having...my soulmate who understands and supports me and shares music with me.
From the Del Valles I learned more of my heritage, danced Bomba.
The funeral was this weekend in Upstate New York. My brother and his wife drove up.
While I was in the Bay taking in the possibility of using GIS to enhance digital storytelling, they were celebrating Louie's life...dancing, eating, sharing stories.
I was celebrating in my own way...enjoying Carnaval in all of it's foggy glory in the Mission.
Alone I stood with other parade goers...wondering why the parade started an hour and a half late, but I found my nook and readied the digital camera I borrowed from the school and my laptop to take video.
A flurry of feathers and color and I danced in the street with my fellow latinos...from Brazil to Bolivia to Panama to Trinidad to Granada to Puerto Rico to Guatemala to Mexico...we are a huge wave in the United States. I'm freaked out by our pick and choose immigration laws...but I see the color and flavour we add to the world and I am proud.
So I danced in the streets with my parading companions...some on stilts, some on heels and whooped as my flag passed.
Si, la vida es una carnaval.
2 comments:
I'm sorry to hear about your family's loss. At the very least, the Del Valles are together again. :-)
Seeing your Carnaval pictures brought me right back to the one you and I went to, when we got crazy on the raised platform. Damn good times!
Ah, Carnaval. The concept of it being foggy in late May is such a foreign concept to me now. Instead I bake in 100 degree heat.
Glad you had a great time.
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