SASC community celebrates el Día de los muertos

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 19:44:24 +0000

SASC community celebrates el Día de los muertos Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 12/14/2016 - 12:44

Veronica Cuevas Perez , Undergraduate McNeill Scholar , Spanish for the Professions

The SASC community celebrated el Día de los muertos for the second year in a row on November 2nd , 2016. El día de los muertos is a celebration of a new phase in life: death. The tradition is celebrated throughout Latin America, but mostly where it was originated in Mexico. El día de los muertos is a celebration, honoring death with festivals, and celebrations that combine indigenous Aztec rituals with Catholicism. It is said that on this day, the dead are awakened to celebrate with their loved ones.

On November 1st , is all souls day, which is the day we celebrate all the children who have passed away. November 2nd, is all saints day, which is when we celebrate all the adults who have passed away. It is a tradition to set up a colorful Altar with a specific flower called flor de muerto. On the Altar, pictures are put up of loved ones who have passed away, and next to them is a candle with their favorite foods. This celebration is not to mourn death, but to celebrate that they are in a better place.

During our SASC celebration, tamales and pan de muerto (bread of the dead) a traditional bread for this day were served. This bread is symbolic to the prehispanic people. It’s a symbol of outwitting death. And to accompany all this greatness, there was also champurrado, a traditional hot drink of a thick, creamy sweet consistency, usually made with maize, water and chocolate. Our staff and students brought pictures of their loved ones to put on the altar to share with the community. Everyone learned a little about this day and enjoyed the food.

As someone who has grown up celebrating this day, I am very grateful that this tradition has been incorporated into the program. I love sharing the beautiful traditions I grew up with, as well as learning about other traditions from other cultures.

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McNeill Blog Fall 2016

SASC community celebrates el Día de los muertos

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