Written by:Mirella Barrera-Betancour

Dia de los Muertos is a yearly, Mexican cultural celebration commemorating the beloved spirits of the deceased. It is characterized by a combination of well wishes, “ofrendas” — offerings, often meaning food or photographs — with a vibrant display of flowers alongside an altar.

Every year, Dia de los Muertos is observed from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. While Oct. 31 is universally known as Halloween, Nov. 1 is referred to as All Saints Day, or the day of the children, in which  the gates of heaven flood open, allowing the deceased to join the physical world to pay a visit to their loved ones.

Although not an official holiday, Nov. 2 is designated as All Souls Day, the day the living get the chance to honor the lives of their departed loved ones. Contrary to misconception, the day of the dead is not a day to grieve, but a day to laugh and have fun.

Last week, students who visited the lobby of the Werner University Center — directly across from Caffe Allegro — saw the altar set up by student workers and volunteers from the Multicultural Student Union. Students who lost a loved one were permitted and encouraged to add an offering to the altar or a heartfelt message on the board. 

The altar and display were left out for student engagement until the end of the week. Likewise, on Wednesday, Nov. 2, MSU hosted an event in the WUC Plaza, with offerings of pan dulce, or “conchas” and hot chocolate. The treats were free to take, as long as the individual provided their name and student email.

That same day, at 6 p.m., MSU hosted their weekly meeting, featuring a celebration of the day of the dead. Attendees got the chance to celebrate Dia de los Muertos with activities such as face painting, sugar skull coloring and a rerun of a classic American movie.

In Mexican culture, activities such as face painting have a special meaning associated with the day of the dead — based upon a mixture of European and Aztec symbolism. Historically, sugar skull face paint is inspired by the work of Mexican lithographic artist, Jose Guadalupe Posada.

Dia de los Muertos is the Multicultural Student Union’s first major cultural celebration on campus of the 2022–23 school year, with many more events planned for the future.​​ The club is always looking for student volunteers to aid in such events. Students can check out their Instagram at @msuwou or join MSU in their club meetings every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m in the Columbia Room of the WUC.