Carleton College will celebrate the traditional Mexican Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on Monday, Nov. 2 at 5:30 p.m. in the Severance Great Hall. This event is free and open to the public.

Dia de los Muertos is a traditional Mexican holiday in which the living commemorate the memories of their dead ancestors. Although occurring at the same time of year as Halloween and sharing a common motif of death – Dia de los Muertos decorations and foods prominently feature skull and skeleton motifs – this holiday does not consider the dead to be morbid or frightening; rather, the dead are objects of affection and even humor. Families visit the graves of loved ones and build altars in their homes to their memory.

Carleton’s celebration will incorporate an explanation of the meaning of the holiday in Mexico, performances of poems and songs by students, and decoration of an altar with traditional offerings such as sugar skulls, flowers, and candles. Audience members will have the opportunity to remember loved ones who have died and place objects on the altar in their memory.

The Ollin Ayacaxtly dancers, a group composed primarily of Northfield high school students involved with the Centro Camepsino will perform a narrative dance that helps to illuminate the significance of the day, as well as perform Aztec dances in costume. Centro Campesino will also assist in bringing an artist to speak on his work in the community to produce Dia de los Muertos art.

This event is sponsored by the Carleton College Office of the Chaplain. For further information and disability accommodations, contact jtruax@carleton.edu. Severance Great Hall is located next to the Sayles Hill Campus Center, off of College Street on the Carleton campus.