In Mexico, “Dia de los Muertos,” or “Day of the Dead” is a celebration and a reunion of the departed with their families. On this day, an altar with an ofrenda, a Spanish word for “offering,” is prepared to remember and celebrate departed loved ones. The belief is that during the Day of the Dead, the loved ones come to visit their living relatives. The ofrenda altar helps the dead observe, smell and taste. The most common ones have three levels, which represent heaven, earth, and the underworld. The six most common objects found on alters include: calaveras (skulls), cempaxuchil (marigold flowers), papel picado (perforated paper), pan de muerto (bread of the dead), salt to quench the thirst of souls, and photographs of the loved ones that have passed.
The Outdoor Ofrenda at Quinta Mazatlán in McAllen honors its animal and plant species that are threatened or endangered. These animals could become extinct in the near future without the help and protection of people. The loss of land in its natural state is the number one cause for species to decline and disappear.
Some of the endangered species in Texas include the ocelot and jaguarundi. These cats need large spaces of Thornforest to survive: tracts of at least 100 acres of dense brush. Large birds that are endangered include the stately Whooping Crane, which is five feet in height, and the Eastern Brown Pelican with a 6-foot wingspread. Highly prized falcons that are endangered include the Northern Aplomado Falcon and the Peregrine Falcon. Other threatened species known in the Rio Grande Valley are the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle and the Texas Horned Lizard. There are also many plants that are endangered, like the beautiful Star Cactus and the Black Lace Cactus.
“Why should we care about endangered species? Our ecosystem is like a spider web. It is held together by all the plants, animals, water, air, and nutrients, each being a thread in the web,” said Colleen Hook, Manager, Quinta Mazatlan. “When threads are removed, other threads are weakened until the entire web collapses. So when animals and plants disappear from an ecosystem, it is an indication that the area is becoming less habitable for all animals, including people.”
Enjoy the fall season and take time to honor and remember ancestors, both animals and plants. The Sticks & Bones trail through the woods at Quinta Mazatlán, sponsored by the McAllen Orthodontics Group, is open through November. The trail is free with park admission, $3 adults, $2 children, 2 and under free. Please follow current COVID-19 Safety Guidelines while in park. For more information, contact Quinta Mazatlán at (956) 681-3370 and follow Quinta Mazatlán on social media.
