Womxn Who Rock: Conference Reflection

Arjun Sen
GWSS 241


The Womxn Who Rock convention was unlike anything I have experienced from a cultural point of view. As Indians, we are taught to quietly respect the dead, with a picture and a small garland to remember them by. However, this conference showed me the clear contrast between cultures: Mexican culture not only respects the dead, but celebrates them, using creativity and imagination to portray their essence through the altars and ofrendas I saw on display at this conference. These altars are complex creations, incorporating the personality of the creator as well as the person it is celebrating. What impressed me the most in this conference was the level of detail and care put into each ofrenda; to me, an ofrenda is meant to inspire thought and wonder, and several of the ofrendas in this conference, especially the one by Ofelia Esparza, really highlighted the beauty of this cultural practice to me. The concept of viewing death as a celebration of a life well-lived rather than a mourning is something I personally feel would be a much healthier way of dealing with grief in today's society, something which is sorely needed. The conference showed me that the two are not mutually exclusive, and one can celebrate life after death at the same time as mourning. I found the conference to be very touching and beautiful, and is something I hope to see in person in the coming years.