‘Día de los Muertos’ at the LAC
To mark the ‘Dia de los Muertos’ at the LAC, our MSc student, Ana Sofía Martínez, put together an ‘ofrenda’, exhibited in our entrance hall. Ana Sofía writes on its meaning: ‘Día de los Muertos is a holiday rooted in indigenous ideologies and a critical embodiment of Mexican cultural identity and its relationship to death. Historians have long debated its exact origins but believe the celebration originated from the Aztec practice of placing the skulls of those who had passed in an altar, or ofrenda. Believing that death wasn’t the end of life, but rather the transition of a soul into another realm, the creation and maintenance of ofrendas is a cherished practice by those who wish to honour and spend time with their loved ones. Through time, speaking with spirits was replaced with telling stories of those who have passed, human skulls were swapped with sugar ones, and the creation of the ofrenda are done a few days before Día de los Muertos, with certain photos being added on days dedicated to different groups like pets, children, those lost to violence, and even lonely or forgotten souls. Although the official holiday ends the 2nd of November, I wanted to keep the alter up for a few weeks after the holiday, as per my abuela’s instructions- “Para los viejitos como yo- Nos toma mas tiempo en llegar.”
