People celebrated while visions of death filled the streets in the Westside neighborhood of Kansas City Friday night.
This wasn’t a scene of some horribly tragic event, but instead a celebration of the lives of loved ones who had passed on to the afterlife. This was the Dia de Los Muertos festival at Kansas City’s Mattie Rhodes Center.
This holiday with deep roots in Mexico traditionally occurs at the end of October and the first two days of November. In the United States the celebration has stretched into the weekends following those dates. The celebrations draw crowds of Latino and non-Latino participants.
The tradition comes from the belief that during the days of Dia de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead in English, the souls of the dead come back to visit living family members in places like homes and cemeteries.
La Catrina, or the Catrina, is a popular female character of the celebration. Catrina is usually represented as an elegantly dressed skeleton. Women don elaborate makeup and costumes during the celebration to take on the character. Men and children also portray their versions of this visitor from the afterlife.
On Friday, Daniella Briones, who dons her own spectacular interpretations of the Catrina, pulled out a big case full of makeup and brushes to spend much of her day turning six women into haunting versions of the mysterious figure from the other side.
See the photos and video on how she transformed the women into the Catrina and see other scenes from the Mattie Rhodes Center Dia de los Muertos festival below.
Zenaida Estrada sits patiently as she gets her face painted as a Catrina by Daniella Briones at Briones’ home before attending the Dia de los Muertos festival at the Mattie Rhodes Center on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, in Kansas City. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
Briones adds jewels around Zenaida Estrada’s eyes to finish the Catrina makeup. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
Briones creates a spider web on Jessie Garcia while applying Catrina makeup. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
Makeup, jewels and hair products fill a table at Daniella Briones’ home as she prepares for the Dia de los Muertos festival at the Mattie Rhodes Center. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
Yulissa Lopez sits patiently as she gets her face painted as a Catrina by Daniella Briones. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
Briiones applies makeup around Yulissa Lopez’s eyes as she is transformed into the Catrina. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
Yulissa Lopez looks in the mirror after her face is painted like a Catrina by Daniella Briones. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
Delicia Velo, left, Zenaida Estrada, Yulissa Lopez, Ariana Perez, Mia Rodriguez-Quintana, and Jessie Garcia pose for photos dressed as Catrinas after completing their participation in the Dia de los Muertos festival parade at the Mattie Rhodes Center on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, in Kansas City. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
Visitors walk through the Mattie Rhodes Center to view ofrendas during the Dia de los Muertos festival on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, in Kansas City. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
Calaveras, paper mache, and marigold flowers are adorned on ofrendas during the Dia de los Muertos festival at the Mattie Rhodes Center. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
Parade participants walk along West 17th Street during the Dia de los Muertos festival parade at the Mattie Rhodes Center. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
Eight-year-old Mia Murguia, left, and her 10-year-old brother Marcos Murguia dress as a Catrina and Catrino during the Dia de los Muertos festival at the Mattie Rhodes Center. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
Rigo Jurado has his face painted during the Dia de los Muertos festival at the Mattie Rhodes Center. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
Two-year-old Esteban Arellano, watches the Dia de los Muertos festival parade at the Mattie Rhodes Center. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
A parade participant walks the route during the Dia de los Muertos festival parade at the Mattie Rhodes Center. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
A parade participant walks the route in her Catrina costume during the Dia de los Muertos festival parade at the Mattie Rhodes Center. Emily Curiel ecuriel@kcstar.com
Emily Curiel, is a visual journalist at The Star. With a broad scope of coverage, Curiel navigates subjects including breaking news, sports, features and long-form narratives. She is a first-generation graduate from San Francisco State University and a native of Los Angeles.
