PHOENIX, AZ -- On Sunday, in cemeteries across the Southwest and the world, music played and celebrations were held as loved ones gathered to remember those who have passed.
"It's an emotional feeling. It can help you cheer up," Isisdrio Villela said as he decorated his father's grave. "It brings back the good memories of the good stuff that you did."
Here in the Valley, the 'Dia de los Muertos' takes on a special significance for many who come to share time with loved ones both living and deceased.
I came because I wanted to be with everybody here," Emma Verralleza said as she gathered with family. "Just have a good time, and be with my aunt, the one that passed away."
At the Desert Botanical Garden, a 'Day of the the Dead' celebration gave casual observers a chance to learn more about the customs dating back to the Aztecs.
"When I first saw the skulls, I was horrified," Lucie Palmer said. "The more I learned about the Dia de los Muertos, the more I gained respect for it."
Organizers hoped the event would raise cultural awareness and let others share in long-standing traditions.
"It's celebrating death because death has a dark connotation," Kate Sepe said of the event she helped organize. "So when you celebrate it, I think it's easier to accept death or the passing of a loved one."
