With over 500 years of tradition, the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) is an annual celebration held Nov. 2 honoring the ancestral spirits of the Mexican people. The Mexicans believe that on that day, the dead return for the period to interact with family and friends.
The main rituals of the Day of the Dead are decorating graves in the cemetery and the preparing of family altars. Sugar skulls, costumes, skeleton figures, paper cutouts (papeles picados), marigolds, bread of the dead (pan de muertos) and fruits are essential in creating offerings for family altars. The Day of the Dead celebrates and acknowledges the cycle that connects life and death.
Each year, the University’s Maude Kerns Art Center invites individuals and organizations to decorate altars in the gallery to honor the celebration of the Day of the Dead. This year in the art center there are 10 varieties of altars to be exhibited. These different entities, including Sacred Heart Hospice/Courageous Kids as well as University Spanish professor Bryan Moore, participated in decorating altars.
“The altars are a success this year because it clearly shows another culture and heritage,” Maude Kern’s Operation Manager Karen Pavelec said.
According to Tina Schrager, the Exhibit’s Coordinator, the purpose of the Day of the Dead is not only to honor those who have passes, but also to acknowledge strong religious unification. The celebration of the Day of the Dead blends the ritual of Roman Catholic holidays of All Saints’ and All Souls’ days with Mictlantecuhtli, the god of death in indigenous cosmology. The rituals and decorations reflect the unification of Spanish and Indian cultures with a Mexican celebration.
“The celebration of Day of the Dead, especially the altars, shows us the true cultural and religious backgrounds. The Mexican families interact with the dead and celebrate their most personal relationships they had with them. Through these altars, we can truly experience the deep-rooted tradition and culture of Mexico,” Schrager said.
A variety of altars, artwork, paper cutouts, sugar skulls and wooden toys are available at the Maude Kerns Art Center through Nov. 10.
“I came here to research for a paper on ‘Dia de Los Muertos’ for a Spanish class,” freshmen Spanish major Gabriel Valenzuela said. “It’s great to experience the tradition and culture of Mexico. These altars remind me of my visit to Mexico last year.”
For more information, call the Maude Kerns Art Center at 345-1571.