El Día de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead is celebrated in some small towns in Mexico. This festival displays the rich syncretism between Indigenous beliefs and the Catholic practices brought by the Spanish. Some believe that on November 1st, All Saints Day and on November 2nd, All Souls Day, the spirits of the deceased return to spend a few moments with their relatives still living on earth. In preparation for their arrival their tombs are washed and adorned with flowers, bread for the dead, religious items, candles, glasses of water, food, drink and trinkets representing the activities the deceased enjoyed during life on earth. All of this is an ofrenda or offering made for the people who have left this earth but still linger in the memories of their friends and families.
The Spanish students at Shasta College invite you to experience the ofrendas or offerings they have made in honor of their deceased friends and relatives. While many of us practice our own religious beliefs, we also enjoy learning about the cultural and religious practices of others, and we’d like to share what we are learning with our fellow students here at the college.
Our annual Día de los Muertos celebration takes place in late October or early November and includes explanations about Day of the Dead, bilingual poetry and literary readings, music, examples of papel picado, the cut paper made in Mexico, and an exposition of handicrafts made in Mexico for the Day of the Dead. We have ofrendas on display all day outside the 800 building, and Amigos Unidos will be doing face painting beforehand. All are welcome to attend! You can click on any of the photos below for a closer view.
