In the Voices of the River series, we take a journey down the river and hear from the people who depend on the river for their living, or whose lives are changed because they live close to it.
In the fourth and final part of the series we hear from Edith Salazar and her mother Margarita. They live along the St. Johns River in Crescent City.
The Salazars are getting ready for their celebration of the Day of the Virgin Guadalupe. They are making a decorations with paper cutouts called papel picado.
Margarita sings traditional songs about the Virgin Guadalupe while they make crafts.
“The song is about her story. Usually the serenade talks about how do they find her, how much we love her, how much she means to us,” Edith said.
Edith also says it’s important always keep your traditions with you, no matter where you are. She says they are gifts your family gives you.
The Salazars are originally from Mexico, and they like to continue their celebrations and customs while living near the St. Johns River.
Edith says locals from the surrounding area come to visit their house to see their decorations and learn about the celebration of the Day of the Virgin Guadalupe.
She says it makes her mother happy to see others taking an interest in their culture.
“She likes them to go because she feels like whoever goes, they think that we’re not different from the other people,” Edith said. “We’re the same, even though we’re like from a different country or different color or different culture.”
Margarita and Edith make papel picado decorations for anyone in the neighborhood who asks.
The interviews for the Voices of the River series were produced using recordings from the Florida Department of State.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J42SCMjHxo
