UCA Celebrates ‘Dia de Los Muertos’

The Latino Student Association shared their Central American holiday “Dia de los Muertos” with UCA students inviting them to connect with the spirits of their dead loved ones during X-period Nov. 1 on Old Main lawn.
             

Dia de los Muertos is a Spanish phrase meaning Day of the Dead, and according to Jorge Guadamez, senior and president of the LSA, is a day of celebrating the spirits  descending from the afterlife.

They had several tables set up under a tent decorated with pink, red, yellow, orange and blue decorations surrounding the tent. Students passing by could see the colorful ribbons waving in the wind while celebratory Spanish music could be heard throughout the middle of campus.

IMG_0195The altar in the far left of the tent held sugar skulls – an item famously associated with Dia de los Muertos – colorful decorations, flowers and candles.

According to Guadamez  Dia de los Muertos takes place for up to three days starting anywhere from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 and is when the spirits of the dead visit and spend time with their loved ones.

“We set up these altars and we bring bread, candy, any of their favorite foods, Guadamez said. “They eat with us, they sit with us.”

People gathered around the altar and were invited to either add a decoration of their own to the altar or write their loved one’s name on a sticky note to place on the altar in remembrance.

Guadamez said usually there would be pictures of the loved ones but in place of that they were just having students place sticky notes.

“This is our way of remembering them,” Guadamez said.

He said after the third day of the celebration the spirits go back up to the after life.

Senior, Megan Saville was attending the event after having to research it for a class.

“I like that they are involving the Spanish Culture, Saville said.