By Isela Acihuatl Laca
The initial Calaveras appeared and were published in 1879, for those that may be uncertain of what a literary Calavera may be. The newspaper El Socialista de Guadalajara published the first Calaveras that, during those times, were frequently censored because they were perceived as a means to express political and social discontent.
The characteristics of a Calavera mostly consist of verses of a sarcastic nature, imagining a person or persons as if they were dead. Calaveras serve to express emotions that, otherwise, would be difficult to articulate. Usually, Calaveras contain drawings or pictures of death.
Currently, Calaveras are lines that rhyme with the focus of death that serve as a reason to create a parody of persons presented as dead or about political and cultural issues or events. The principal characteristics of a Calavera are : creativity, irony, subtleness and rhyming.
Keep in mind that Calaveras are tied to a 3,000 year old origin of the Day of the Dead as death was celebrated in Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Death was and continues to be accepted as part of the cycle of Life and Death; the Great Duality.
Everyone is encouraged to write their own Calavera during the month of October through November 2nd. As an example I share my most recent Calavera.
A el Lider de Los Incompetentes
Le cayo el Virus Potente
Pues pura mentira
la creia
Penso que era creado por los Otros
Que no lo querian
Dijo el Lider de Pelo
Anaranjado
Que le hace que no me quieran
Que al cabo me quiero Solo
El Covid se enamoro de su esposa
Quien reia
Pues ella solo en dinero Creia
En camas separadas
Llenos de sintomas
El lider Reia
Yo tengo Hydroxychloroquine
A mi ni el Virus me hace nada
Pero llego la Señora de la Coronilla
Y se llevo a los Dos…
con todo y su Pandilla
Copyright© 2020 by Isela Acihuatl Laca
Source: https://www.inside-mexico.com/jose-guadalupe-posada-creator-of-la-catrina
