Descansos, an assignment
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EL PASO, Texas — I suspect that descansos, or roadside memorials, exist all over the United States and, for that matter, all over the world. Still, their presence here on the U.S. / Mexican border conveys a special significance for the Latino community. This is a culture intensely religious and fervent about family that does not relinquish its children, fathers, mothers, or grandparents readily. The composition of our local descansos varies widely, ranging from machined metal plaques to elaborate concoctions of garish flowers, nostalgic photos and the ubiquitous crosses. Ultimately, descanso symbolism, whether religious or secular, is implicitly heartrending: This marks the geographical location where a soul has escaped a broken human body.