While Halloween decorations are put away, you will see “ofrendas” with similar Halloween colors on the CSArts campus. These altars are to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos (or in English- The Day of The Dead) which happens every year on November 1st. Dia de los Muertos is a holiday rich in culture and tradition, celebrating family and friends who have died.
Dia de los Muertos is celebrated by making an altar and putting up photos and objects of those who passed away, an idea that you might recognize from the Disney movie Coco.
In Mexican culture this allows the spirits of the dead to visit when the barrier between the land of the living and the land of the dead is at its thinnest. The altar is decorated with items like candles, flowers and food to help guide the spirits.
If you want to celebrate Dia de los Muertos on campus, you will find an “ofrenda” in the creative writing library set up by Creative Writing Conservatory Director, Timothy Gomez.
Although the holiday is known to be on November 1st, Dia De Los Muertos is a series of days. It begins with a day to honor pets who have died on October 27th. October 28th is a day to remember those who died unexpectedly, or tragically in an accident. October 30th is dedicated to remember those who are in limbo, a plane for those who died before being baptized. It’s often thought that the October 30th celebration is what inspired modern day Halloween. November 1st is specifically for children and November 2nd is for adults.
Dia de los Muertos also holds a lot of meaning for those who celebrate it. “Dia de los Muertos is a holiday in which we recognize our ancestors. With family and friends we are able to talk to each other and reminisce about those who have passed. It helps us understand who the people before us were and helped shape who we are today,” Spanish Teacher Fatima Ruiz said. Family, friends, and faith are the focus of Dia De Los Muertos and the holiday is a powerful way to form connections.
Dangerous Fumes