GVSU's Office of Multicultural Affairs honors the dead in Día de los Muertos celebration

Thalía Guerra-Flores put the final touches of the ofrenda's decorations as she placed cempasúchiles, or marigolds, into the small clay pots called cantaritos. She completed these final preparations to the ofrenda as GVSU's Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) began its November 1 celebration of Día de los Muertos.

Día de los Muertos has its roots in indigenous Latin American cultures such as the Aztecs. During the colonial era, Catholic influences began to fold into the celebration. The celebration traditionally takes place on November 1 and 2. While the holiday has received more recognition in American culture over the years, there are still some misconceptions that Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is simply the Mexican version of Halloween. This is not the case. Día de los Muertos is about honoring loved ones who have passed.

An ofrenda, or offering altar, is set up with decorations, food, candles, pictures of the dead and other traditional offerings for the dead to receive.

"The belief is that their spirits will come back to our world," said Guerra-Flores, an assistant director with OMA. "So there are things on there to light their way."

The photograph of the passed loved one is placed on the altar to signify that this place is for them to come to on the holiday. Food such as pan de muerto, or bread of the dead, fruits, and personal favorites of the deceased are included on the ofrenda for the visiting spirits to taste or smell. Personal items or items of significance to the deceased are sometimes also included. For children who have passed, toys and candy may be among the offerings included on the ofrenda.

On OMA's ofrenda, Guerra-Flores honored her grandfather, making sure to include some things that remind her of him next to his picture.

"My grandpa, his thing was always drinking Coke and eating seeds, and I also put a word search on there because that is something that he always enjoyed doing in life," she said.