Zombies Walk On!
Events / 10/31/2007 2:05:48 PM
Happy Halloween!! This special edition is brought to you by our spooky guest writer, Miguel Gallego. (Who didn't require any arm twisting to gallivant about in blood and costume!)
A heavy woman lurches to her front porch railing and
points down the street. “Hurry!! The zombies are coming! Run! Quick,
get the camera.”
Camera? Are you kidding? There must be hundreds of moaning, bloody,
undead monsters shuffling toward her house. Forget the camera. Get a
Gatling gun or a fast car outta here.
Still, she watches as the zombies draw closer and closer. Their
moans and wails intensify. The woman stands her ground, gathers her
children near, and then shoots photo after photo of zombies striking
gruesome poses as they parade by. No actual bloodshed or dashed
brains. Just another Z-Day episode along the
2007 Toronto Zombie Walk.
Cited as one of the world’s first, the Toronto Zombie Walk began
in October 2003 as a lark for a mere half dozen ghoulish folks. It’s
since become a
huge annual grassroots event that in 2007 mobilized a reported
thousand-plus people to don their best undead duds and march en
masse.
This year it was a warm October day when teens, adults, and entire families congregated at a downtown public park. So did scores of photographers and videographers eager to capture unreal images and bizarre zombie behaviour. Despite the crowd’s size the haint hike was peaceful, good-natured, and occasionally rambunctious.
There is no political agenda or statement here - just the freedom
of getting down with your undead self in public among like-minded
citizens. But it’s an ongoing struggle to keep the event true to its
freestyle origins.
Lately
TZW founder and organizer Thea Munster has been fending off
advances from corporations who lust to tap into the economic power
of a growing zombie mob. “This march of the undead is sponsored
by…” Adding to the pressure to sell out is the fact that the
zombie walk phenomenon is now
international, with dozens of macabre marches held in cities
across the globe. While some of these walks are sponsored
promotional events, others benefit charities through food bank
donations or blood drives.
For many participants a zombie walk is nothing more than a second chance to dress up and celebrate Halloween. Yet others, including Thea, see it as a way to acknowledge and honour our departed. Halloween’s pagan origin has become so commercialized that it no longer reflects the basic human tradition of ancestral homage.
Perhaps – with a little luck, a bit of soul searching, and without corporate sponsorship - today’s zombie walk might evolve into a cultural rite beyond its horror film origins. The zombie walk may become the catalyst that puts the ‘hallow’ back into Halloween. Walk on!
Miguel and Thea, 2007 Toronto Zombie Walk
Jill's p.s. As always, you can reach Miguel either through his website the Crypt Club or through killer-works email. And all the snazzy photos were taken by Miguel at the Zombie Walk
p.p.s. Next scheduled article for Killer-works will be on November 12th, but I may sneak in with a surprise piece...stay tuned, new gore is brewing!
