Arkansas State University students were able to get a taste of Hispanic culture through food, crafts, and connection at the multi-organization hosted Dia De Muertos event.

At the end of November, families across Mexico and Latin America come together to honor the “muertos” or the dead, in Dia De Los Muertos. The first day of Dia De Los Muertos, November 1st, is dedicated to honoring children who have passed away, and the second honors the adults who have passed on with celebrations.

Students gathered to emphasize the importance of educating others about this holiday, as it is a large part of hispanic culture. Hermana y Hermano, A-State’s Hispanic Club and Mentorship Program, helped create this event. Social Media Chair, Ashley Ortiz Jr., is a junior creative media productions major from Fordyce, Arkansas. She helped describe the event’s cultural significance.

“This day is an important Hispanic culture event. We celebrate the ones in the past coming back with us and we feel connected together,” Ortiz said.

This year, Hermana y Hermano, Sigma Iota Alpha, the Multicultural Center and the Student Activities Board (SAB) came together to continue this tradition on A-State campus and help educate students on its significance. Students were able to participate in a variety of crafts and activities to learn more about the holiday.

Using tissue paper and pipe cleaners, students could learn how to make a marigold flower, an important symbol in the celebration of Dia De Los Muertos. There were also candles, frames and lanterns available to make. These elements are used during the holiday to decorate the “ofrenda” or altar for the dead.

The event had its very own ofrenda, honoring some notable figures like Kobe Bryant, Amy Winehouse, Princess Diana, and of course, Dolly Parton. The altar was vibrantly decorated with the colorful papel picado banners, candles, marigolds, and importantly, an offering of Pan de Muerto.

The Pan de Muerto, a dessert bread, was not only delicious, a significant part of the holiday. Henrry Perez, the SAB Director of Arts and Culture, is a marketing junior from Judsonia, Arkansas. He said SAB provided the catering for the event.

“We provided the tamales, which are from Tacos Daisy. We also got some Pan de Muertos, which was the little dessert we had. They are used specifically for this holiday as an offering for your relatives or loved ones who passed away, so we wanted that to be a part of this event,” Perez said.

The specific food and atmosphere brought a sense of connection to the event, with many different people getting to experience the importance of the Day of the Dead and honor those that have passed.

Many were there to learn more about Hispanic culture, including Christian Jones, a first-year accounting major from Bryant, Arkansas. Jones said that he was inspired to come to the event by his friends.

“I’m really just here for the culture. Back home I had a lot of hispanic friends. Anything like this I like to support,” Jones said.

If you also want to support more events like this, you can attend more Hermana y Hermano or Multicultural Center events, as they are open to all students.

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