The Southern Utah Museum of Art hosted their seventh annual Dia De Los Muertos celebration on Saturday, Nov. 2. The holiday traditions took place at the museum from noon-6 p.m. All activities were free for anyone to attend, but items and food could be purchased from vendors throughout the entire day.
Dia De Los Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead, is a two-day Mexican holiday that celebrates family heritage and remembrance of those who have passed. It’s often observed with friends and family, cultural foods and altars for past ancestors.
This year, SUMA went all out to celebrate Mexican heritage and culture. The celebration had significantly more vendors than past years, many of which were local Hispanic families selling homemade food and art. Delicious street tacos were provided and served by Los Flores, a local and family-owned Mexican restaurant.
SUMA also hosted multiple Dia De Los Muertos traditions. Traditional Mexican dances took place in buildings and streets throughout Southern Utah University’s campus, and activities such as sugar skull making and other themed crafts were offered on the quad outside of the SUMA building.
While the event had plenty of fun activities for the whole family, the highlight of the day was the memorial wall and altar covering an entire hallway in SUMA. Here, families could submit photos of passed loved ones to be placed on the wall prior to the event. Throughout the day, anyone was welcome to bring photos and items to be added to the memorial.
“The altar is truly a reminder of the meaning of this holiday and a beautiful memorial space,” said SUMA’s Curatorial Affairs Director Becky Bloom.
Events like this are a great way to unite students of all cultural backgrounds. This year’s Dia De Los Muertos event offered student involvement, allowing students to be vendors, display their own photos and items or simply attend and celebrate Hispanic culture.
“One of our main goals here at SUMA is to connect campus and community,” Bloom added.
For more information on cultural events and resources on campus, students can contact SUU International Affairs. To stay up to date on upcoming events, visit the SUU Event Calendar or the SUMA website.
Author: Briar Adams
Editor: Heather Turner
Copy Editor: Kayd Johanson
Photos by Margaux Feret
life@suunews.net
