Day of the Dead found a home in Missoula back in 1993, when one of my favorite Missoula artists, Mike deMeng returned to Missoula from a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, a community, which, like Missoula, is rife with artists and an appreciation for the arts. The idea that death is a new beginning resonated with deMeng. The idea that death can be cause for celebration in addition to grieving is not new. The brash funeral parades of New Orleans are an American example of this phenomenon. DeMang was determined to infuse Missoula with this tradition. He returned to Missoula and recruited fellow university of Montana teacher and artist, Bev Glueckhert to help him, and the tradition has continued to this day. Day of the Dead in Missoula is even mentioned in the Wikipedia article about Day of the Dead. (Interestingly, Day of the Dead almost didn’t happen this year in Missoula.)

Because Missoula’s incarnation of Day of the Dead was founded by a couple of artists, it’s no surprise that the arts hold an important part of the celebration of Day of the Dead in Missoula. What I’ve always enjoyed about the Day of the Dead celebration in Missoula is the steamroller prints. This year was the first year that I’ve been able to go and watch the prints being made, and it was quite impressive. University of Montana printmaking professors Jim Bailey and Elizabeth Dove’s printmaking students spend about a month carving the print plates.

The steamroller prints have been such a popular part of the parade every year that the process of printing them has been expanded. While those who were included in the creation and printing of the steamroller prints used to be mainly the printmaking students at the university, the program has been extended to students at some of the local high schools. Students work in teams of up to five. It’s easy to tell the difference between the high school kids’ prints and the university students’ prints, not by the quality of the carving, but by the size. The high schoolers’ prints are only about 4′x4′ while the university students’ prints run about 4′x8′.

Each student makes a print for himself, so that everyone who contributed to the project has one. The prints are traditionally displayed in downtown Missoula for about a month before their respective owners take them home and display them in their houses. The plates? Well, I was saddened to hear that the plates are destroyed. Part of the reason for this is that they are so huge — where could they be stored? But destroying the plates also adds a special quality to the prints that do get made, and that is part of why they are so popular.

What may be the highlight of Day of the Dead for many Missoulians is the parade, which occurs on November 2nd around dusk.

But the parade isn’t the only celebration in Missoula for Day of the Dead. It has evolved into a time for people to express themselves not only publicly, but also to reflect privately about loved ones who have gone before them. The Missoula International School is at the forefront of Day of the Dead activities, and invites families to come and learn about the rich history of Day of the Dead, through traditional Day of the Dead arts and crafts, storytelling and other activities.

Also at The International School, people who have recently lost a loved one can come to express themselves through creative movement and interactive dance that, organizers hope, will ultimately help to celebrate death while grieving it through the celebration of life and the promise of continued emotional and spiritual bonds with the deceased. The workshop features live percussion.

Finally, The International School invites everyone to join together to build a community shrine comprised of photos, candles and other mementos honoring those who have died. The shrine project includes dramatic performances and music by the Sentinel High School jazz band. University of Montana drama students create a portable backdrop for the shrine, which often finds its way into the parade later.

Day of the Dead celebrations culminate with the parade and the resulting performances at Caras Park.

Click the image below to view all of the steamroller print photos from this year.