Latinx Voices (LV), with the support of Spanish Club, hosted their yearly Dia de Los Muertos celebration on Nov. 1 from 5-8 p.m. Taking place in the Science Center, the event commemorates the holiday traditionally celebrated on Nov. 1-2 where families create ofrendas (altars) to honor passed loved ones, featuring memorabilia as well as their favorite foods and drinks. These objects welcome and encourage the dead to visit the living, and hear the prayers and messages sent to them. The holiday largely developed in Mexico.
The event began with a welcoming statement from Nerlyn Velasquez’27, LV’s historian, who introduced the holiday’s background. Attendees were then offered food catering from Taqueria Azteca in Beloit and Las Canelitas Bakery in Rockford and invited to sit down to watch the main entertainment of the event, performances from a local folklorico dance company. An informational ofrenda and activity table was also featured.
The Beloit-based Mexican folklorico dance company Even Start performed nine dances, from Veracruz, Monterrey, Sinaloa, and Jalisco. At the end, attendees were invited to dance with the performers. The company has been in Beloit for 31 years, and provides a free dance program. “It started with the parents who wanted to bring some of our culture here with our kids. And they love it and we love it more, because it’s part of our culture,” says María Del Carmen, who has worked for Even Start for 17 years. The dancers perform at many types of events, but to Del Carmen, Dia de los Muertos is a particularly special time to perform. “Es como traerlos aquí o sentir que están con nosotros. Es una tradición muy importante y muy hermosa,” she says.
Latinx Voices has been coordinating a Dia de los Muertos celebration since they were first established on campus, according to April Armenta’26, the organization’s president. This year, the planning started around a month in advance. “I feel like it’s important to have this event on campus because it gives an idea of a culture for people to be able to experience … to see how people mourn death and just being able to bring the community together for an event like this,” Armenta says.
Ella Walters’27, president of Spanish Club, shared a similar sentiment. “I, as a non-Hispanic person, want to center Latinx Voices and Hispanic Voices,” Walters said. Spanish Club showed support through providing the beverage station and enthusiastic engagement. Hoping to unify the two clubs, Walters says, “The language should always be in support and empowerment of the culture. Not the other way around. We wanna show support and just unity throughout the campus and with clubs and everything. We’re all just stronger together.”
Featured image: Jazmin Gomez’27 and Emma Laus’27
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