Students colored campus this week with vibrant cempasúchil garlands, skulls, ofrendas and pan dulce in celebration of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.
Día de los Muertos, a holiday originating from Mexico, is a time for families to welcome back the souls of their loved ones who have passed with ofrendas, or offerings.
For many, Día de los Muertos is not a time of mourning the lost, but rather a time to gather and celebrate those who’ve passed with food, vibrant decorations and altars.
The student union, the ASUC and Lambda Theta Nu — the first Latine sorority at UC Berkeley — partnered together to bring the celebration to campus. On Monday, the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union building’s activity zone had themed activities to celebrate Día de los Muertos, including ceramic painting, frame decorating, face painting, a photobooth and a table with traditional pastries such as pan dulce.
Emma Enríquez, one of the Latine community-endorsed ASUC senators, helped host the event this year. She commended the student union for its involvement in the celebration and commitment to making the activities and food as “authentic as possible to the culture that they’re celebrating.”
“They were able to help us source pan dulce, sweetbread, from local bakeries in the area to make sure that we had that. … People love to paint their faces in the Calavera Catrina style which is the skeleton kind of style that you see very often, so we had a face painter there,” Enríquez said.
At the Día de los Muertos event, Lambda Theta Nu also performed a dance with machetes — a traditional performance for the sorority — which was led by Katelyn Morales, the president of the chapter. Morales said this is a tradition passed down in Lambda Theta Nu, and it symbolizes the culture and strength of women.
Altars are another important aspect of Día de los Muertos. It is believed that the altars are a guiding bridge for the deceased to come back into the world of the living to spend time with their loved ones. From Friday, Oct. 30, to Tuesday, Nov. 3, Wurster Hall featured an exhibit with about 30 altars decorated with photos of loved ones, candles, cempasúchil garlands and different foods.
Sharon Rivera Desales created an altar dedicated to immigrants who have passed away in the desert. It consisted of clothing pieces that immigrants would wear, a white cross, water, corn, pan de muerto and fruits.
“Everyone deserves to be remembered,” Rivera Desales said in an email. “Death isn’t something to fear; it’s not a goodbye; it’s more of a see you later. Being able to honor my ancestors and my family members who have passed away and have them come visit me warms my heart. Although they weren’t able to come to the U.S. alive, it makes me happy that they can come after passing.”
Día de los Muertos is a longtime tradition for Rivera Desales, first taught to her by her mom. She learned how to honor her ancestors, their spirits and their memories.
For some, being in college can make staying in touch with cultural traditions difficult. Rivera Desales said she uses music, friends and conversations to remind her of her heritage and family.