So you saw Coco, now what? Learn the cultural and spiritual significance of the holiday. Students, faculty, and the BYU community are invited to participate in the Día de los Muertos celebration.

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a holiday blending Mesoamerican and Catholic European traditions to commemorate loved ones who have passed away. To honor these ancestors, an altar or ofrenda is built to offer safe passage to the souls of those who have passed to visit once a year. Food offerings, sweets, beverages, flowers, toys (for children), and holy symbols are placed on the altar, along with photos of loved ones, to invite the spirits to join us once again for a happy celebration.

The most recognized and ornate Día de los Muertos traditions are found in Mexico. Recently, it has become increasingly popular among Latino communities worldwide, especially in the United States.

How to participate:

See the BYU ofrenda in the Lobby of the Kennedy Center (HRCB) 1-2 November. Feel free to bring photos of your passed loved ones and anything else you would like to place on the ofrenda. All items will be returned after the event.

Mariachi Los Pumas, BYU’s own student mariachi ensemble, will perform 2 November at 4:30 p.m. in 2740 HBLL. Los Pumas perform authentic mariachi styles, and have played at Luz de las Naciones and in Mexico City. Come listen as they help celebrate the holiday with us.

Follow @byukennedycenter on Instagram to learn more of the history and symbols of the holiday.

Wear a free calavera pin you can pick up at the Kennedy Center (room 101) on November 1-2.

Questions? Contact rita_cortez@byu.edu, (801) 471-7114 or aaron_rose@byu.edu, (801) 422-8241.

Sponsored by the Kennedy Center and the College of Humanities.