By: Emma Gonzalez
Contributor
In honor of the staff and students that have passed on, there is an ofrenda for Dia de los Muertos, a Mexican holiday, located in the Interfaith Office.
Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a celebration of the lives of loved ones who have passed on, and welcoming them to this world with offerings, music and decoration usually on an ofrenda.
“An ofrenda is built in honor of those who you want to remember,” Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Sergio Pérez, said, “there’s not an ofrenda that looks the same, all are very different.”
Students and staff alike were able to submit photos of people they wanted to honor on the ofrenda, whether it be a professor, student or faculty.
“It’s important for us as a university and community to remember those who have contributed to the SCSU we have today,” Pérez said.
According to the History website, Dia de los Muertos is celebrated every year from Oct. 31-Nov. 2.
On Oct. 31, the spirits of children can join their living families, and on Nov. 2, the spirits of adults can do the same.
“Sept. 29 is when the pets come down, and they come and visit their owners,” health science major Saray Barroso Herrera, a sophomore, said. “The following day is when babies come down and visit, and it goes on and on each day until Nov. 5.”
Many different Latin American cultures celebrate passed loved ones on these days as well such as Guatemala, Colombia, Brazil, Peru and more.
“Dia de los Muertos is also aligned with All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day of the Catholic Church, so it’s also a cultural experience,” Pérez said.
All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are Catholic celebrations where all Christian saints and martyrs are celebrated on Nov. 1, and then all who have passed away are celebrated on Nov. 2.
The ofrenda, located in the Interfaith Center, featured pan de muerto, and was accompanied by sugar skulls and the little orange marigold petals, or cempasuchil.
“Every ofrenda will have cempasuchil, which is an orange or yellow marigold flower. The idea is that the flower lights up and gives the scent to the souls and spirits that have passed that we are ready to receive them,” Pérez said.
Many students visited the ofrenda, some out of curiosity, some to pay respect.
“We all come from different cultures, and I feel like this makes people come together and feel included,” nursing major Megan Nguyen, a sophomore, said.
The ofrenda grew over the week that it was open, more people adding loved ones to remember.
“This is a good way to slow us down, we often get stuck with homework, work, produce, produce, produce. But are we making time to live?” Pérez said.
