2026-05-21T17:55:06Zhttps://keep.lib.asu.edu/oai/requestoai:keep.lib.asu.edu:node-2013602025-05-28T19:19:07Zoai_pmh:alloai_pmh:repo_items201360
https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.2.N.201360
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
2025-05
108 pages
Serrano Hernandez, Helen
Carr, Allie
Karim, Tajilynn
Lomeli-Gonzalez, Jesus
Ortiz, Clara
Perez, Mileidi
Phillips, Natalie
Robbins, Emily
Sandoval, Mathew
Fonseca-Chavez, Vanessa
Barrett, The Honors College
College of Health Solutions
The mission of our project is to document the history of Día de los Muertos in the
Phoenix metro area and explain its local and national significance. We focus on Xicanindio
(Shee-can-een-dee-oh), a multidisciplinary arts organization founded in Mesa in 1975 by Zarco
and Carmen Guerrero (a husband-wife team). This collective of Chicano and Native American
artists produced the first public celebration of Día de Muertos in El Valle (the Valley). The
success and popularity of their annual festival led directly to Day of the Dead celebrations
spreading throughout the Phoenix metro area. Whether it was through the auspices of
Xicanindio or their new arts organization Cultural Coalition, Zarco and Carmen Guerrero have
been the primary individuals responsible for keeping Día de los Muertos a vibrant cultural
tradition in our local communities.
Our project utilizes oral history interviews and archival research to trace the local history
of Día de los Muertos from the 1970s to now. We aim to explain the significance that Day of the
Dead has had for the artists and communities who’ve participated in the festivals, while also
showcasing the ways that Día de los Muertos festivals in El Valle are wholly unique. This
project will culminate with an exhibition about the history of Day of the Dead in the Phoenix
metro area that features photographs, artwork, ephemera, and short documentary films.
Día de los Muertos
Xicanindio
Zarco Guerrero
Carmen de Novais
Day of the Dead
Chicano
The History of Xicanindio & Día de los Muertos in El Valle