An altar in honor of those who have passed is decorated and illuminated during the Día de los Muertos Celebration on Nov. 1 at the UTA Wesley Foundation. Various foods, treats and personal items are placed alongside portraits of people who have passed and honored loved ones.
Children dressed in Halloween costumes, colorful dresses and faces decorated with skull paint were all a part of the Día de los Muertos Celebration event Friday at the UTA Wesley building.
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday that takes place every Nov. 1 and 2 to celebrate the lives of loved ones who have passed away. Nov. 1 usually serves for children who passed, while the following day serves for adults.
“We believe in celebrating what they meant to us, their legacy they left and just remembering them for the impact they have made in our lives,” said advertising sophomore Jesus Canales, Unity Coordinator for UTA Wesley, a United Methodist campus ministry.
Mariachi Los Jinetes play for attendees during the Día de los Muertos Celebration on Nov. 1 at UTA Wesley Foundation. Mariachi Los Jinetes is a UTA student-led Mariachi group that plays at numerous school and community events.
The centerpieces of the celebration are ofrendas, altars made by family members. Filled with photos of the loved one along with their favorite items, flowers and snacks, ofrendas act as an offering and a guide for the deceased to find their way back to the living.
The flowers that are said to lead spirits back to their families are called Cempasúchil, or Marigolds in English. They are often set in a path on and around the altar with candles.
Growing up, youth often celebrate Día de los Muertos to follow their parents’ tradition. However, for mechanical engineering junior Alejandra Flores, this was her year of maturity. Not only was she going to celebrate the holiday on a deeper and larger scale, but she would be in charge of designing this year’s ofrenda.
Music composition sophomore Joel Cabrao plays the viola during the Día de los Muertos Celebration on Nov. 1 at the UTA Wesley Foundation. Cabrao is a part of Mariachi Los Jinetes.
“This felt more independent and felt like I was doing it on my own accord, rather than the initiative that my mom did,” she said. “I was taking that initiative to finally be like, ‘I’m celebrating this.’”
For sophomore acting major Itzel Flores, this is a year of true intent to celebrate her recently passed grandparents. For her family, this means coming together, taking care of the offerings and sharing their fondest memories of their loved ones.
Itzel Flores said she remembers when her grandparents would sneak her cookies before dinner. She said that celebrating Día de los Muertos has brought her new comfort in honoring them.
Offerings are placed down in commemoration of passed loved ones during the Día de los Muertos Celebration on Nov. 1 at the UTA Wesley Foundation. Those in attendance could leave offerings or photos of loved ones at the altar.
“It gives me the comfort that they’re here with me when I’m here and I’m honoring them and celebrating them,” Itzel Flores said. “Instead of making it a sad thing, we’re celebrating them and their life, and it really gives me comfort knowing that they’re here with me, even though I can’t see them.”
While Día de los Muertos is traditional to Mexican culture, UTA Wesley partnered with 13 UTA Hispanic organizations to provide an all-inclusive space for students and the community to enjoy, learn and embrace the holiday.
Last year, Josue Melendez, La Sociedad Hispánica organization member, said he didn’t want to participate in the holiday because he recently lost a friend and grandfather and the pain was too fresh.
This year, he worked alongside other LSH members to design their ofrenda, ready to find closure.
Acting sophomore Itzel Flores smiles while passing a ticket to attendees during the Día de los Muertos Celebration on Nov. 1 at the UTA Wesley Foundation. Free food and drinks were offered to those in attendance.
During this time, they shared stories of those who have passed away, and this brought him more comfort and understanding of how they grieve.
“This year after I saw them be vulnerable and open up and really embrace the death of their loved ones. They’re still grieving. All these years later, they’re still grieving. I found comfort in that.”
Rev. Marcus Jones, pastor and director of UTA Wesley campus ministry, says that their focus is to embody diversity and host events that align with their values of creating a safe space for everyone to celebrate their own traditions and learn about others.
“We believe wholeheartedly here that the more you learn about other cultures, the better the world becomes,” said Jones.
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