While candy and Halloween costumes sell out in stores across Moscow and the entire U.S., the University of Idaho Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) is getting ready to celebrate a different kind of fall celebration.
Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is a Mexican tradition celebrated Nov. 1 each year. Customs vary between regions, but the main concept of honoring loved ones who have passed away is consistent.
“The idea of Halloween is to be scary or funny and sometimes talk about supernatural things,” said Alejandra Gonzalez, OMA program coordinator. “For Day of the Dead, it’s (about) remembering actual people and doing something for people who were once alive and celebrating their legacy and celebrating their life.”
The UI Day of the Dead celebration has been a campus tradition for more than a decade. Over the years, the event has grown and changed to fulfill its mission of appreciating and respecting the cultural holiday.
Gonzalez said in the past, face painting has been offered as part of the celebration, but won’t be any more. She said this is because Day of the Dead represents a deeper culture and tradition several UI students are part of.
“In order for us to fully appreciate it and respect their beliefs, we have to respect every aspect of that,” Gonzalez said. “That includes not providing the face painting to people who might not know the cultural meaning for it, or have the cultural appreciation for it.”
The celebration features activities that are true to the holiday’s long tradition, including an altar decorating contest, sugar skull painting and a poetry contest in the calaveras style.
“Calaveras are short poems that talk about the dead and they’re supposed to be kind of funny as well,” Gonzalez said.
Some Spanish professors are encouraging their students to participate by incorporating the poems into the class curriculum.
“A lot of the professors in the Spanish department are giving extra credit to their students for doing the calaveras, or making it part of an assignment,” Gonzalez said.
In addition to the calaveras, the altar contest will also be a prominent feature in the Day of the Dead festivities.
“We like to start the event with the altar contest and we invite student organizations, individuals, classes, departments to come and build an altar for one of their loved ones,” Gonzalez said. “Usually we get around eight or 10 altars and they set up around the ballroom, and we open it up for students and faculty, staff and community members to come and walk and take a look.”
Altars are built for family members, famous people or anyone who has been impactful in the builder’s life.
After the altar viewing and interactive workshop period from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., the event will transition into an informative presentation interspersed with traditional Day of the Dead entertainment.
“A lot of times the entertainment is folkloric dances from Mexico,” Gonzalez said.
The UI student group Sabor de la Raza will perform two to three traditional songs and dances throughout the night. The group works around the UI campus and the Palouse to raise awareness about Mexican culture at events such as the Day of the Dead festival.
The informative presentation will explain the history and culture behind the holiday, especially focusing on the meanings behind the different symbols found throughout the festivities in altars, poems and traditional attire.
“Our goal is to invite people who practice the tradition and invite people who don’t… welcome everybody and make it a learning experience, and an experience where everyone can appreciate a very beautiful, colorful, enriching experience,” Gonzalez said.
Beth Hoots can be reached at [email protected]