Calaca figures to celebrate the Day of the Dead
© PvE/Alam
A party for the departed. Day of the Dead
Whether made of wood, clay, or even candy, these Day of the Dead skeleton figures, called calaca, share one common trait: They’re having fun. The reason for the whimsical portrayal of death is a holdover from the Aztec influence on Mexican culture: The dead do not want to be remembered with sadness, but rather the joy they brought to the world when they were alive. Today is the final day of the three-day celebration, beginning with All Saints Eve on October 31 and ending today with All Souls Day.
Nurses serving with the American Red Cross in Paris, France, in May 1919
The North Beach Jazz Mural created by artist Bill Weber in San Francisco
The 'Fearless Girl' statue outside the New York Stock Exchange in New York City
People looking at the crowded Avenue des Champs-Élysées from the Arc de Triomphe on May 8, 1945, Paris, France
Giant puppets for Carnival in Olinda, Brazil
Vancouver’s first permanently rainbow coloured crosswalk in downtown Vancouver
Spectators at the annual Calgary Stampede
Day of the Dead calavera figurines
