Garrett Mitchell|The Republic | azcentral.com
Sugar skulls are used during ceremonies to honor the dead during Dia de los Muertos.Meant as a personal dedication to deceased loved ones, they are more than just colorful offerings.
They can stick with a person for a lifetimein the form of a tattoo.
"It's a pretty big deal to get one —it's an emotional tattoo," said Jose Soberanes, an artist at Evocative Tattoo in Glendale. "It's stressful because it's someone's loved one who's passed."
Soberanes has created plenty ofcalavera (human skull) portraiture and tells people about their meanings and importance before crafting an image to be immortalized on their bodies. Some are accented with flower petals and bright colors in a traditional way. Others go for a darker effectwith minimal color.
"I always try to tell people what (the images')roots are and what I was taught about where it came from when I grew up. I don't want them to say they just found a design on the Internet. (Fortunately,)most of my clients are pretty well educated on it and get them for someone extremely loved by them," he said.
Soberaneshimselfhas a sugar skull tattoo. It's dedicated to his father who died when Soberanes was a child.
"My dad passed away when I was very young so Day of the Dead is a big holiday for me. I get up early every year and go to the cemetery in the morning. I pretty much go to have a conversation like normal (with him)," he said.
Not everyone who gets a sugar skull tattoo is doing it in honor of a loved one. Some see it as a style and are inspired by lists of tattoos online.From skulls aloft with butterfly wings to diamond-encrusted noggins, people request heavily stylized images to be inked.
Harley Goodson, owner of No Regrets Tattoo Parlor in Tempe, said most of the times he's asked to design a sugar skull tattoo it isn't intrinsically linked to a tribute, though he believes people "have a basic understanding" of its origin.
"Not everything has a deep meaning to it. Sometimes things are just visually appealing and don't always have to convey a message," he said. "At this point, it's like someone asking for an eagle or a swallow. They're just timeless designs."
The phrase "sugar skull" is widely applied to anything resembling the traditional offerings. From make-up to trinkets totattoos, the Internet is flooded with tutorials and products alluding to calaveras. But with mainstream appeal comes misunderstandingof the original intent of a thing.
Day of the Dead symbols, meanings
Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, has a plethora of symbols with deep meanings behind them. If you find yourself at a festival celebrating the holiday, take a look at some key symbols you need to know.
Wochit
Kathy Cano-Murillo, a Phoenixartist known as the "Crafty Chica," said these bright and joyful renderings of deceased loved ones capture "the sweetness of someone's life." And it doesn't necessarily have to be a family member: Sugar skulls can be decorated in the image of anyone who hasmade an impact on one's life.
The celebratory nature of theskulls, mixed with humor and nostalgia, provide fitting tributes that make death seem less fearsome.
"Many people just think it's a cute skull but don't realize the meaning behind it. People like me work hard to educate and share this tradition," said Cano-Murillo, who co-owns theMucho Más Art Studio in Phoenix."The cycle of life and honoring our ancestors is a universal concept everybody can relate to. This is a part of our journey and we accept and embrace it by painting our faces. It says you're not afraid."
Day of the Dead, after all, is when the departed cross the mortal coil to find their way home for one night to visit loved ones, feast on their favorite meals and enjoy the pleasures of the human world.
Dia de los Muertos PHX
Performers lead a procession in the 6th annual Dia de los Muertos PHX festival at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix.
Michael Chow/azcentral.com
Dia de los Muertos has thrived for thousands of years on grand and personal scales. Even when 16th century Spanish colonizers deemed the Aztec-originated celebration sacrilegious, the tradition couldn't be buried. Its influence spread northbound from southern Mexico where it has evolved and continually found new life.
"It's definitely not the 'Mexican Halloween,' "Cano-Murillo said. "It makes me happy to learn when people realize that it's about celebrating the life of a loved one. That's all any of us want —to be remembered and acknowledged for what we did on Earth."
Want to experience Day of the Dead?Numerous events around Arizona commemoratethe ritual.
