Hi to all!
I am pleased and excited to announce the official launch of the MMOS weblog, The Mouth. The Mouth is a forum that will provide an opportunity for us all to participate in an open-ended conversation about creativity, festivity and community, as well as keep you up-to-date on our plans, special events, workshops and to share some of the not-so-secret inner workings of our wonderful All Souls Procession Weekend.
Many of you have expressed concern and puzzlement with our choice of this years’ date for the All Souls Procession, Sunday, Nov. 9th.
Usually we pick the first Sunday in November, and this year that Sunday is on the same weekend as Halloween. In past years, we have held the Procession close to Halloween and the Procession suffered because of it. We had crowds of drunk, rowdy people who were not at all mindful of the intention of the “ All Souls…” . They were in the spirit of Halloween revelry, which -though similar- was more about shock value, partying and raising a ruckus.
I know from my own experience and feedback from those years that the reverence and magic of ‘walking between worlds’ would be completely at odds with the Halloween vibe. We have tried it and it doesn’t work. It was like trying to hold a ceremony at a football game.
As organizers of the Procession, our priority is always quality of experience over quantity of participants, and though the Procession has grown exponentially, we will always strive to propagate an “ALL SOULS PROCESSION” that is a grassroots, non-commercial, hyper-inclusive, sacred event dedicated to honoring our ancestors and loved ones who have passed on.
We have lots of wonderful plans for this year , so check in on the website, come to the workshops, potlucks and fundraisers and have a wonderful ALL SOULS 2008.
Nadia Hagen
Artistic Director
Flam Chen