The University of Utah through the College of Social and Behavioral Science, the J. Willard Marriott Library, the College of Fine Arts, and the Division of Ethnic Studies is proud to celebrate the Día de Muertos at the Marriott Library at the Gould Auditorium and cafe on Friday, November 1 at 12:45 PM. The celebration includes an ofrenda (altar), panel session on the cycle of life-and-death by people of different cultures and spiritualities, and a photo-documentary exhibit on the Day of the Dead in Utah. The ofrenda and the photo-documentary will be on display thorough November 21.  These events are free and open to the public.

The Day of the Dead is an indigenous-based celebration to honor our ancestors and to center the cycle of life-death in our collective memories. In 2003, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared el Día de los Muertos as a Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

This celebration represents the amalgamation of pre-colonial religious rites and Christian feasts. It brings together two universes, one marked by indigenous belief systems, the other by worldviews introduced by the Europeans in the sixteenth century.

Through the times, the celebration has experienced multiple metamorphoses: from an “exotic celebration,” to “the most colorful and vibrant manifestation of life and death.” Nowadays, Día de Muertos takes the form of Aztec dances, altars for the dead, food, bread for the dead, flowers, skeletons, skulls, music, face painting, theater, visits to the cemeteries, and religious/spiritual ceremonies.

The celebration of the Day of the Dead extends the rich traditions and cultural practices that connect us to the human experience of grief, memory, and community. It prompts us to explore how global communities sustain and preserve these rituals. For Dr. Michelle Camacho, Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Science, Día de Muertos provides to the university’s community an opportunity to reflect on our the core values.

In organizing this event, the University of Utah invites the community to engage in a meaningful conversation about identity, remembrance, and belonging. This event fosters inclusivity and awareness, drawing connections between academic scholars, community, and global practices.

We honor those who have passed away by creating an altar or “ofrenda” which displays photos, food, flowers and items the deceased loved and shared with us. By honoring our departed ones, we bring them to life by sharing their stories, their memories, and strengthening our collective histories. Day of the Dead honors our deceased with vibrant colors, lively music, dance, and stories of special times. Our panelists will share their views on life-death issues in our communities, and the photo exhibit documents the development of Dia de Muertos in the Beehive State. Panelists include: Dr. Michelle Camacho, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Science; Rev. Cindy Solomon-Klebba from the University of Utah Spiritual Wellness Center; Irma Hofer, director of cultural affairs at Centro Cívico Mexicano; Ed Napia, and New Zealand and Maori-born artist; and Dr. Armando Solorzano, associate professor of Ethnic Studies.

Guests are invited to share a photo of their departed loved through November 21 at the ofrenda. We echo the community wisdom that affirms that our deceased are not buried, they are planted.