Students representing the Latin American Student Organization at Aurora University led the student body in the creation of a campus ofrenda Monday morning inside the Phillips Library on campus.
For years, students have come together to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos – the Day of the Dead – which is traditionally celebrated on Nov. 1-2 in Mexico and across Latin America to honor loved ones who have died. The traditions include the building of ofrendas, which are altars in memory of those who have passed, often decorated with treasured keepsakes of deceased loved ones as a way of welcoming back memories of them.
Aurora University Director of Latino/a Excellence Mariza Rocha Gonzales, who works with the Latin American Student Organization at the university, spoke Monday before the building of the altar and said that “the process begins with an open invitation to students, faculty and staff to contribute framed photographs or small treasured items that represent loved ones who have passed.”
“It’s a way for our community to come together – to honor, remember and celebrate the lives of those who came before us,” Gonzales said. “In terms of the effect on students who are not Latino, it provides an opportunity for students to learn about one another and different cultures. We’re preparing students to move on to work and be successful in their professions and learning to work with one another and different cultures is valuable in their professional preparation.”
Gonzales said at the university there are students living away from home where altars might be erected.
“The interesting thing is, for many students, this is the first time they are actually putting together an ofrenda,” Gonzales said. “It might seem, although it’s very cultural, and, in recent years, it’s become very commercialized in a variety of different movies like ‘Coco’ from Disney, it’s actually a more recent tradition for many of our students. It’s something that they’re learning for the first time.
“Whether students are living on campus or commuting the value of this tradition actually brings them closer to their family,” Gonzales said. “Once they go home and share what they were able to do it brings them closer together by talking about maybe how their grandparents celebrated the tradition in their home country.”
A group of students came to the library at the university Monday morning armed with buckets and tubs of colorful supplies to put together the ofrenda.
Jesus Julio, 21, of Carpentersville, said this was his fourth year helping out with the ofrenda display, noting that he is currently president of the Latin American Student Organization at the school.
“A lot of our board members are newer here and this is their first time decorating and it’s always a tradition that we have here with the library, to always showcase a tradition in our Latino culture,” Julio said. “It’s just remembering our loved ones who have passed, and a way they can come and commemorate them here on campus.”
Julio said that building the ofrenda each year “is fun and we all get to collaborate and seeing how it starts and ends.”
Student Joanna Camacho, 19, of Peoria, said she “always knew about ofrendas as we talked about it in school,” but that “we never did it at home so this is my first time setting up an ofrenda.”
“I do see myself doing this with my family in the future if I have children,” Camacho said. “My favorite thing about this is the colorful parts. Funerals are always dark colors and so I feel this is a way to celebrate loved ones’ lives with, like, vibrant colors and foods they might like. This is a nice way to acknowledge the remembrance.”
The ofrenda will be on display at the Phillips Library at Aurora University through Monday, Nov. 3.
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
