Celebrating Day of The Dead at UFV

Date(s): Monday, November 3 - Friday, November 7
Time: All Day
Location: : Abbotsford Campus

The UFV Spanish Program and the Modern Languages Department celebrate The Day of The Dead

El Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) is a Mexican celebration, rooted in ancient ritual worship and the Spanish Christian holiday of “All Soul’s Day.” Mexican families celebrate the lives of deceased family and friends by creating home altars and placing offerings of everyday life such as pan de muertos (sweet bread baked in shapes of skulls and figures), candles, yellow marigolds known as Cempazuchitl/Zempasuchil, and photos of the departed souls on the altar.

We cordially invite the entire UFV community to participate in this important cultural event by visiting the Day of The Dead Altar currently on display on the Alumni Hall (B201). Next to the Altar there is a monitor playing documentaries regarding the Day of The Dead ritual. This Altar has been built in collaboration between UFV Spanish instructors and students. This is a great and exciting opportunity to learn about the ways in which Mexicans celebrate life and death and to make a cultural comparison with other cultural celebrations such as Halloween, in Canada.

The Altar will be on display through Friday, Nov 7. In 2008, this Mexican cultural tradition was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.