The Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos, is a dazzling festival of color and image, mixing joy and sorrow, honoring the loved ones who have died, reminding us all that we will follow.
The grinning skulls, golden flowers, and aromatic baked goods characteristic of the holiday were once a rare sight north of the border. But demographic shifts along with the ease of digital communication have brought this Mexican tradition into the mainstream in Texas and elsewhere in the United States.
On the campus of Texas A&M University-Commerce, a Dia de los Muertos altar will be presented to the public with a reception 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tuesday in the atrium on the ground floor of the Sam Rayburn Student Center. The event will begin with a brief presentation about the holiday, followed by the unveiling of a new student mural. Traditional Dia de los Muertos treats, including fresh baked goods, will be served.
The holiday has its roots in Christian and Mexican traditions. In the Roman Catholic and some other Christian traditions, November 1 is All Saints’ Day and November 2 is All Souls’ Day. Scholars differ regarding the extent to which indigenous religious beliefs and practices merged with the Catholic holidays in Mexico to create the Dia de los Muertos holiday, generally observed November 1 and 2.
Religious imagery, along with elements from popular culture, such as the calaveras (skeletons) in the style of Mexican lithographer Jose Guadalupe Posada, combine to create the aesthetic of the day. Other popular conventions include the display of marigold flowers, and artisanal creations such as papel picado, the colorful paper bunting often seen at Mexican holidays. Foods, often sweet items like sugar skulls and spiced sweetbreads, are part of the day. Iced hibiscus tea is common in the warm Mexican lowlands, while hot cups of masa-based drinks are preferred in the colder high country.
Most importantly, participants remember their loved ones, rejoicing in their life and legacy, and sometimes softening the sorrow of loss with music, funny stories or short written tributes.
All of these elements come together at a Dia de los Muertos altar, where people can add their own ofrenda (offering) to honor the dead, usually a picture, often accompanied by a favorite food, drink, or other representative item. The A&M-Commerce altar is open to anyone who would like to participate. A submission form is available online. The event is a collaborative presentation of the university’s Office of Intercultural Engagement & Leadership and the Office of LatinX Engagement & Outreach.
During a recent broadcast of the KETR conversation series North By Northeast, Dr. Fred Fuentes along with students Hermila Cuevas of Dallas, Valeria Vazquez Mendoza of Greenville, and Alicia Garcia Wong of Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico, discussed the upcoming celebration and their own connections to it. You can hear the program by clicking the player below the headline of this story.
