Dia de los Muertos event coming to Family Resource Center Nov. 1 and 2

Event organizers Adriana Gonzalez (left, with her daughter Luna) and Carmen Orozco (right) — Contributed photo

The Fam­i­ly Resource Cen­ter shares news about their upcom­ing Day of the Dead event.

The Joyce L. Sobel Fam­i­ly Resource Cen­ter will be spon­sor­ing a com­mu­ni­ty Dia de los Muer­tos event on the evenings of Nov. 1 and 2 from 4–8 p.m.

A tra­di­tion­al Dia de los Muer­tos altar will be set up on the lawn between the Resource Cen­ter and the Mullis Cen­ter. Com­mu­ni­ty mem­bers of all back­grounds are invit­ed to cel­e­brate their deceased loved ones by bring­ing pho­tos or flow­ers for the altar or to sim­ply expe­ri­ence this impor­tant hol­i­day in per­son. Warm drinks and sim­ple activ­i­ties for chil­dren will be provided.

Day of the Dead is cel­e­brat­ed in Mex­i­co dur­ing the days of Nov. 1 and 2. In pre-His­pan­ic times, death was con­sid­ered a basic ele­ment of cul­ture to be acknowl­edged and cel­e­brat­ed. When a loved one died, they were buried wrapped in a petate — a hand­made rug — and rel­a­tives orga­nized a par­ty in order to guide them on their jour­ney to Mictlán, a place where souls can rest.

Dur­ing Dia de los Muer­tos, death does not rep­re­sent an absence but a liv­ing pres­ence. The spir­its of all deceased chil­dren — angeli­tos — are allowed to reunite with their fam­i­lies on Nov. 1 and on Nov. 2 the spir­its of adults come down to enjoy the fes­tiv­i­ties that are pre­pared for them.

In many com­mu­ni­ties through­out Mex­i­co, beau­ti­ful altars are made in each home, dec­o­rat­ed with can­dles, buck­ets of flow­ers called cem­pa­suchil, mounds of fruit, peanuts, plates of mole, stacks of tor­tillas and big loaves of bread called pan de muer­tos. On Nov. 1, food, bot­tles of soda, hot cocoa, water, toys and can­dles are left for the angeli­tos, and on Nov. 2, cig­a­rettes, shots of mez­cal or tequi­la are offered to the adults. Lit­tle folk-art skele­tons and sug­ar skulls pro­vide the final touch.

Please stop by the Resource Cen­ter to help us celebrate!

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