Under the hazy November sun, students delicately folded colorful tissue into paper flowers to display on Archer’s community ofrenda. In belated celebration of Día de los Muertos, Hermanas Unidas welcomed students to snack on pan de muerto and write cards in memory of passed loved ones in the courtyard Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Día de los Muertos, an ancient Mesoamerican tradition celebrated Nov. 1 and 2 this year, celebrates the life and death of loved ones. Students were encouraged to make paper flowers for Archer’s community ofrenda, a traditional Mexican altar set up in homes to honor and remember deceased loved ones. Hermanas Unidas Executive Board Member Chloe Ventura-Ruvalcaba (’27) said leaving items on an ofrenda is a celebration of loved ones rather than a somber practice.
“[People] usually have photos of family members and any gifts that they would have loved to welcome them home after crossing over from the dead,” Ventura-Ruvalcaba said. “You can also honor your pets that way, too.”
It is tradition to leave flowers on the ofrenda, specifically orange and yellow marigolds, to guide passed spirits to the altar with strong scents and bright colors. To incorporate this tradition into Archer’s celebration, Hermanas Unidas supplied students with vibrant colored tissue paper so students could make paper marigolds for the community ofrenda. Hermanas Unidas Executive Board Member Alondra Alcala (’27) said the goal of the overall celebration was to give all students and faculty to the opportunity to involve themselves in the tradition.
“[The event] is meant to immerse people in the tradition of Día de los Muertos, even though it already passed,” Alcala said. “I think it’s to show the Archer community the beautiful tradition, so people can learn more about it.”
Countless numbers of cities, such as Los Angeles, Mexico City and San Antonio, host annual Día de los Muertos parades, where vibrant costumes, music, dancing and floats fill major streets. These energetic parades blend the holiday’s ancient traditions of honring the dead with a vibrant celebration of their lives.
Families also celebrate by decorating deceased loved ones’ graves with marigolds and offerings or by sharing meals and stories. Alcala said she remembers her grandmother celebrating Día de los Muertos as she grew up.
“My grandma celebrates it, but my parents and I don’t [because] we haven’t … lost anyone important or significant in our lives,” Alcala said. “I think seeing my grandma celebrate the tradition has been really nice, especially during my childhood.”
Throughout the month of November, students will have the chance to lay a photo or momento on the community ofrenda — regardless of their beliefs or heritage — to remember and celebrate the lives of family and friends who have passed away. Sixth grader Paulina Torres said that for her, the purpose of Día de los Muertos is not only to mourn loved ones, but to celebrate and remember precious time spent with them.
“For me, it’s remembering the good things, because we know that the people who aren’t with us didn’t get as much time to enjoy [their time than] those with us,” Torres said. “[The purpose is to] just try to remember these people as much as we [can with] the people actually around us.”
