On Wednesday, November 1st, the Historic Downtown Campus celebrated El Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, during chapel.

El Día de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated in Mexican culture that remembers and celebrates the lives of departed loved ones. While it is primarily a Mexican tradition, other countries around the world also honor the deceased. In the Philippines, relatives visit the graves of the dead, bringing flowers and lighting candles. In Brazil, there is Dia de Finados, a similar celebration. When this two-day holiday was brought to Mexico during its colonization, the indigenous people combined the original Aztec customs that occurred on the last day of October with the first two days in November. According to tradition, November 1st honors the deceased children and November 2nd focuses on adults.

One of the elements that students learned about is an ofrenda. The ofrenda is often the most recognized symbol of Día de los Muertos. This temporary altar is a way for families to honor their loved ones and provide them with what they need on their journey. On the ofrenda, families place pictures of the deceased, along with items that belonged to them and objects that serve as a reminder of their lives.

This year, on the Historic Downtown Campus, community ofrendas were created in centralized locations both the Lower School and Middle School as part of the observance of Dia de los Muertos. Students, faculty, and staff were given the opportunity to contribute to our community ofrenda by sending a picture of a loved one who has died to be a part of the display. The photos of the loved one could  be a person or a family pet. It was great to see so many people take part in honoring this tradition!