On Sunday, students entering the Stephen Robert ’62 Hall were greeted by a communal ofrenda, an altar adorned with photos, candles, bright orange marigolds and handmade decorations.
The altar, which featured photos of deceased loved ones submitted by students, faculty and staff, was part of the Día de los Muertos celebration held by the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is celebrated annually in Mexico and in some other Latin-American countries.
The event, hosted in collaboration with several student groups and campus organizations, offered an opportunity for community members to honor those they’ve lost while enjoying Mexican food, face painting and miniature skull decorating. The event also featured music from Mariachi Ositos de Brown.
Fatima Prado ’29, a student assistant for CLACS, opened the ceremony.
Día de los Muertos is “a special thing that we get to all share with each other,” she said. “So today, also please take a moment to share with each other, talk about your loved ones, share their memories and keep their spirits alive.”
Prado said in an interview with The Herald that Día de los Muertos is also “a day where (those who have passed) can come back and celebrate with us.” She added that she attended the event in remembrance of her father, who passed away when she was young. Because of this, she recalled, the annual tradition has a “big impact” on both her family and community.
“Even though they’re not here with us, it reminds us that they’re always present in our lives,” she said.
“The ofrenda, the altar outside, usually has (the loved ones’) favorite foods, their favorite beverages, the things they like to do,” said Iris Montero, assistant professor of Hispanic studies. “We try to replicate all of that with these celebrations.”
Día de los Muertos is a reminder of the cyclical nature of life, Montero said, adding that once humans pass, they are “reincorporated with the land” and help support the growth of new life. Montero said that’s why the holiday’s decorations typically include a mix of flowers and bones.
Montero came to Brown about a decade ago and has attended the Día de los Muertos celebration yearly. “It’s great for me to see how this is being picked up and growing every year and becoming more and more of a staple in the community,” she said. “It’s just very inspiring to have a space to remember our loved ones, but in celebration.”
Ari Quezada GS, a first-year masters student studying chemical engineering, attended because he wanted to connect with the school community during his first year at Brown.
“Día de Muertes is part of my culture,” Quezada said. “So, I’m here to enjoy with others that share that tradition, but also to get to know other people.”
He added that he thinks it’s a special chance to connect with both those who have been lost and those who are still present.
Although her family doesn’t celebrate the holiday, Ava Rodriguez ’29 showed up to learn more about Día de Los Muertos after her friends brought her last year. She is a member of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan de Brown, a student organization that hosts culture and advocacy events to uplift Mexican students at Brown.
“The community coming together and celebrating culture has been very nice to have here,” she said.
“Death will be everybody’s end,” Montero said, “so why not incorporate it and feel that the ones who have departed aren’t gone forever… They’re still part of our lives.”
Marat Basaria is a senior staff writer covering activism.
