Easter means coming home and spending time with the family. While most people are out of town enjoying the long holiday, I stayed put and visited by siblings. So like any uncle and niece, we watched a movie called Coco.

The movie revolves around the character of Miguel Rivera and his family on the eve of Día de Muertos or the Day of the Dead in Mexico.

The tradition involves offering food, usually Tamales, favorite candies of the departed, Pan de Muerto or Bread of the dead. Alchohol is also served consisting of tequila or mezcal. Graves and altars at home are decorated with the photos of the dead to remember them and covered with the orange blossoms called Aztec Marigolds which lends itself as a very distinct theme in the movie.

From Unsplash - Cristian Newman

Miguel dreams to become a musician however, he is torn because a long time ago his great-grandfather left their family to follow his dream of becoming a world-class musician, leaving a young wife and child alone to fend for themselves. From that moment on music was banned from their family.

He finds himself in the land of the dead during the festival and with limited time needs to get back to the land of the living. He is aided by several family members as they go through several hilarious and tearjerking scenes. I have to admit that I got a bit teary-eyed and tried my best to not show my niece that his grown tito (uncle) is shedding a tear.

It touches on the concept that families will always remember and pay homage to their love ones, keeping the memories alive in our hearts.

The movie is full of musical numbers that shows a rich influence of Mariachi music and Mexican flavor. I love the artistry of the character and set designs that incorporated the imagery of the Día de Muertos and I read was lauded by the Mexican community for showing their culture in such a great and respectful manner.

Source

Although not really a character but I love how the Aztec Marigold was used all throughout the film, making is so beautiful.

I love the music as well and Pixar really knows how to pull emotions and make you feel all sorts of things. In my case, I felt the loss of my father and made me remember him. This song really hit it home for me.

Credits to Disney Music Vevo

Remembering Pops

We called our father "Pops" and he always had a jovial nature and an easy laugh. When he smiles his entire face lights up and his eyes disappear. He is the man on the left side.

He often worked on large farming and forestry projects that took him away from his family for long periods of time as he would be assigned in countries like Burma, Thailand, Malaysia and Sabah. So for the most part of my childhood, he was not there.

Yet I felt his presence all the time with phone calls and letters. He wrote such eloquent letters of the things he saw in his travels. He described different fauna and flora that he encountered. I remember one particular letter that he described the plumage of a native bird in Jakarta and its colors.

He wrote long letters usually 5-7 letters as if trying to compress his existence in each word that he shared with me. I always looked forward when I would receive a letter and be instantly transported to the latest exotic place he is in.

He would come some summers and I remember fondly our hiking expeditions to nearby hills where he would teach me what are poisonous plants and how to start a fire. He was a regular mountain man who could survive in any place that he was dropped to.

My fondest memory of him during my childhood was flying a kite that we built. How he would encourage me to keep trying and fly that kite. No matter how many times it would fall and be broken, we could always fix it with a little string, a little paste and everything would be fine again.

Some father and son's memories are often attached to teaching how to shave or drive but mine was flying that kite with him on a breezy, summer day a long time ago.

I never had the experience to learn to shave with him since I can barely grow a stubble. Nor was I able to learn to drive with him as fate would take him away before I could do those things.

The day the Earth stood still

I remember that year as he said he was going back to the Philippines for good. His latest project would be here and would mean that he will be home more. He was assigned way down south in Mindanao and he worked with impoverished farmers there as he taught modern farming techniques.

I remember in one of his letters he was describing a biogas facility that he was working on and he even had the schematics sent to us which to me looked like he was such a talented innovator. I idolized my father so much and thought he could do no wrong.

I remember in one of those Sunday sermons my Matriarch is so fond of doing that she was furious with our Pops for putting other people and his dream to help them before his family. She always called him a dreamer who constantly ran so many projects that he was left with nothing.

Yet whenever he came home and with the letters that he wrote it always seemed that he was so happy helping build communities. Yet reading his letters now and understanding a lot more things I failed to read the meaning in between the lines.

My Pops was not perfect. He had so many fears and the biggest one was failure. He could not stay home because he wanted his children to be proud of him and the legacy that he was doing for the people. He gave himself too much to the communities that his life energy was spent.

I remember one summer he asked me to go down Mindanao and spent some time with him there. Due to the temperament of youth, video games and a Matriarch fearful of the peace and safety there I was not sent to him. It still stands as a regret of mine.

I remember that call as if it is still yesterday, His caretaker informed us he was found dead in his room. He died of natural causes but so far away from his family. I could not imagine the feeling he had in his final moments. They asked permission to hold a funeral in his honor there and wanted to know if we would fly out.

My Matriarch was adamant that no one would fly south. We waited for his body to be shipped to us. I remember the drive to the airport and felt numbed to both sensation and sound. I remember peering into his casket and hardly recognizing the man in there.

He wore heavy makeup and I saw it was just a husk of the man he used to be. The light that shone whenever he was present was simply not there.

I remember writing a eulogy piece and cried for days. That was the beginning of my 2nd major depression. I hardly talked, nor ate anything except Oreo cookies and just played video games.

My sisters were always crying as they thought that I would go next and always had someone look after me. Eventually, I got better. I reread his many letters, taking comfort in his words as he described exotic locales.

I wrote a lot and my eldest sister said I have the gift of words same as our Pops. She encouraged me to keep writing and got me whatever I needed.

When things feel bleak I often find myself having conversations with him. I imagine talking to him as we would usually do while resting from a hike. I would picture myself in a sunny hill, with the sun behind us and a cool breeze on our skin.

We would talk about what I should do. I know I am just projecting a part of me as his persona but in this way, I am always remembering my father.

I finish this post while listening to the theme song of Coco and the words wash over me as I remember him.

Remember me
Though I have to say goodbye
Remember me
Don't let it make you cry
For ever if I'm far away
I hold you in my heart
I sing a secret song to you
Each night we are apart
Remember me
Though I have to travel far
-From the movie Coco

Sources for Dia de Muertos
Sources for Coco the film

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