CATRINA The story of a Mexican icon.

“Mexican culture makes so much mockery of death that, among its popular artifacts, has also given it name and

shape; that is La Catrina.”—Pilar Turu, Código Magazine

La Huesuda, la Pelona, la Flaca, la Garbancera... The nicknames that Mexicans have given Death are countless; nevertheless, the most famous one has always been La Catrina. Often depicted in a lavish costume with an exuberant hat and a grinning expression, La Catrina is, par excellence, the icon of the Day of the Death holiday. However, it was not always this way.

The tradition of the calavera (skull) drawings was popularized during the late 19th - early 20th century by Mexican cartoonist José Guadalupe Posada. Witty, funny and often controversial, Posada’s calaveras criticized the European aspirations of his fellow countrymen and women.

José Guadalupe Posada, La Adelita. 2

THE ORIGINS

Named “Calaveras Garbanceras” by their creator, these drawings represent the people of Posada’s time. A garbancero(a) was a person of indigenous blood who denied their culture and origin and pretended to be of European descent, especially French.

By immitating the attire, taste and customs of their colonizers, the garbanceros(as) pretended to project an image of fake elegance and superiority that placed them above their peers.

Posada mocked this attitude by depicting the garbanceros(as) as skulls with fancy clothing, as a reminder that white or brown, rich or poor, colonizers or colonized, we are all mortals.

José Guadalupe Posada, Calavera de un Lagartijo.

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Posada’s calaveras often accompanied humorous pieces of poetry on newspapers. The Calaveras Literarias are a type of popular poetry typical of the Revolution era. These funky pieces are almost always dedicated to important figures, such as politicians and celebirities, although they can also be written for close friends or relatives. The verses are written in epitaph form, placing its subject and Death in an irreverent and funny dialogue in which the subject tries to challenge Death, though their efforts almost always are in vain.

The Calaveras Literarias are still an important component of the Day of the Dead celebrations. They are perhaps the greatest example of Mexican culture’s disdain towards death.

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WHY “LA CATRINA”?

One of the most famous depictions of the skull is the one found in Diego Rivera’s mural “Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Central Park” (left). A great admirer of Posada, Rivera paid homage to the cartoonist by placing his iconic garbancera right at the center, between Frida Kahlo to her right and Posada himself to her left.

Contrary to popular belief, it was Diego, and not Posada, who renamed the celebrated skull as La Catrina. In Mexican Spanish, the word “catrín” refers to a well-dressed, elegant man, often accompanied by an equally polished lady. It was used to describe the aristocrats of the 19th and 20th centuries. By portraying the character in such attire, Diego gave it a new meaning, one of style and sophistication; an ideal of a higher society.

Diego Rivera, Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Central Park (Detail). 1947. Diego Rivera Mural Museum.

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LA CATRINA TODAY

The image of La Catrina in contemporary culture is everywhere to be seen. From sugar skulls to costumes and T-shirts, La Catrina is no longer a symbol of social and political satire but rather an icon of Mexican culture and spirituality.

The evolution of La Catrina’s identity and the different meanings attributed to its image are a reflection of the values of Mexican culture, good and bad. Though it is true that the Mexican skull has recently become a cultural symbol, let us not forget its satirical origins. Most importantly, let it be a reminder that for us Mexicans, death is just another joke.

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“DEATH IS DEMOCRATIC BECAUSE,IN THE END, WHITE OR BROWN, RICH OR POOR, EVERY PERSON ENDS UP BEING A SKULL.”

Credits

Revista Código“Origen e Historia de La Catrina”

Conaculta“La Historia de ‘La Catrina’ que Todos Llevamos Dentro.”Further Reading

Khan Academy “Rivera, Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda”

Octavio Paz“The Day of the Dead” essay.

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— José Guadalupe Posada

Created byPriscilla Silva

Contactpriscilla.sg91@gmail.com