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>> HI, WE ARE HERE AT THE DAY OF THE DEAD COLUMBUS FESTIVAL.

DON'T YOU LIKE THESE?

LOOK AT THESE.

WE HAVE THE CARTONERIA THAT WE HAVE BEEN MAKING IN THE COMMUNITY.

IT'S SO COOL.

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>> THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO REMEMBER THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE PASSED.

YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR FAMILY.

AND WE THINK THAT BY REMEMBERING WE KEEP THEM ALIVE.

IT'S NOTHING CREEPY.

I THINK IT'S A CELEBRATION OF LIFE.

AND YOU CAN CELEBRATE WITH FOOD, WITH FLOWERS, DANCING, MUSIC.

THAT'S WHY WE HAVE -- IT'S A PARTY.

IT'S A BIG PARTY.

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>> WHILE I WAS DOING DAY OF THE DEAD, PEOPLE WERE INTERESTED IN KNOWING MORE ABOUT DIFFERENT CRAFTS.

EVERYBODY THAT THINKS ABOUT DAY OF THE DEAD, THINKS ABOUT THE SKULL.

RIGHT?

AND THEN THE SKELETON.

THE BIGGEST SKULLS, THEY'RE MADE OF CERAMIC, SUGAR.

BUT CARTONERIA IS THE MAIN ONE.

CARTONERIA WHICH PEOPLE CALL PAPER MACHE.

THE PAPER MACHE TECHNIQUE IS LIKE YOU HAVE GLUE.

ACTUAL GLUE AND PAPER AND YOU BOIL THE PAPER AND YOU MIX IN THE BLENDER.

IT'S LIKE A DIFFERENT PROCESS.

CARTONERIA IS BY LAYER BY LAYER.

THE GLUE IS NATURAL GLUE, MADE WITH FLOUR.

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IN THE BEGINNING CARTONERIA WAS VERY EPHEMERAL.

LIKE IT WAS SOMETHING YOU WERE GOING TO BUY -- SAY A PIÑATA, TO BREAK.

IT'S SUPPOSE TO BE LIKE A SHORT TIME.

I THINK IT'S LIKE A LIFE.

RIGHT?

IT'S EPHEMERAL.

YOU DON'T KEEP THIS PIECE FOREVER.

SO YOU USE IT AND KIDS PLAY WITH DIFFERENT PIECES AND THAT'S THE BEAUTY.

I JUST THINK THAT'S THE BEAUTY.

THE ONE ARTIST THAT I REALLY LIKE IS CARMEN CABALLERO.

SHE WAS THE ONE THAT SOLD MANY, MANY PIECES TO DIEGO RIVERA HE ACTUALLY FOUND HER AT THE STREETS.

BY THE MARKETS.

I USE TO THINK THAT'S THE KIND OF ARTS AND CRAFTS THAT I ADMIRE THE MOST.

ANY LITTLE PIECE THAT YOU FIND, REALLY WHEN YOU PICK IT UP AND TOUCH IT -- YOU WILL FEEL THE HANDS OF THE PARTICULAR PERSON THAT MADE THAT PARTICULAR PIECE.

NOTHING IS PERFECT, RIGHT?

WE HAVE ONE EYE BIGGER THAN THE OTHER ONE AND EVERYTHING IS LIKE IMPERFECT.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT I AM IN LOVE WITH.

SO YOU HAVE YOUR PAPER.

YOU HAVE YOUR ENGRUDO.

ENGRUDO IS MADE WITH FLOUR, WATER AND LITTLE BIT OF VINEGAR.

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YOU GO AND RIP YOUR PAPER AND YOU WILL TRY TO DO IT IN SMALL PIECES.

NEVER USE THE SCISSORS, BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE ALL THESE FIBERS.

THAT WHEN DOING YOUR PIECE ARE GOING TO BE CONNECTED.

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BECAUSE I LIKE COOKING SO MUCH AND -- FOR CARTONERIA I HAVE TO COOK, BUT I HAVE TO MIX AND IT'S LIKE I AM DANCING AND COOKING AND EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

SO IT'S JUST LIKE A PERFECT ACTIVITY FOR ME.

TO BE AN ARTESANO IN MEXICO CITY, BEFORE IT WAS VERY HARD.

YOU HAVE TO BE IN THE FAMILY OF THE ARTISAN.

OTHERWISE YOU COULDN'T LIKE CERTIFIED AS AN ARTISAN.

SO THESE DAYS YOU CAN TAKE SO MANY CLASSES AND PROVE YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT.

I WENT TO MEXICO CITY AND I TOOK A LOT OF CLASSES THERE AND THEN I CAME BACK AND I GOT A GRANT ACTUALLY FROM THE GCAC.

AND I WAS ABLE TO TAKE ANOTHER ROLL OF A CLASSES WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE -- I LEARNED THE PAPER HAS THESE FIBERS.

IT'S NOT LIKE, OH I PUT THIS OVER THE TOP AND YOU KNOW -- NO, IT HAS A WAY.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE A PUZZLE.

BEING PART OF THOSE GROUPS IT MEANS A LOT.

LIKE ME AS A MEXICAN, IT'S ALMOST LIKE I'M PART OF THE FAMILY OF CARMEN.

>> I THINK IT'S LIKE HONORING THESE PEOPLE.

TAKE THEIR LEGACY AND TRY TO PASS IT ON.

THAT'S DEFINITELY IS MY FINAL DESTINATION.

THAT'S MY PURPOSE.

I WOULD LIKE TO GET CERTIFICATION AND I AM GOING TO WORK THROUGH THAT.

BUT I REALLY THINK THAT I AM DOING IT MORE TO ENJOY THE PROCESS.

AND TO PASS IT ON.

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