Uniting to learn about the Latinx culture through festivities, the Union Station held their Día de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 1.
Beyond the traditional skull and flower decorations, Día de los Muertos unites families to commemorate their ancestors. Various attendees came to the festivities to learn about the deep-rooted history of the day and enjoy and support a different culture.
“It’s fun and different than American culture,” said Ogden resident Alisha Bradbury. “It’s fun to see what different cultures do for different holidays.”
The Union showcased the traditional Día de los Muertos altar. Often, an altar includes a large photo of the deceased relative or friend one is celebrating, water, pan de muerto, papel picado and sugar skulls.
“It was cool to see the altares because you usually just see it in pictures, but to see it live is different,” Bradbury said.
The Latinx culture often emphasizes teaching children about Día de los Muertos, showcasing that it is a day of celebration, not a day to be afraid of. Children’s faces were painted with traditional calaveras — skulls — and flowers at the Union’s middle fountain.
Booths were dedicated to teaching children how to make papel picado, perforated paper. Different colored paper have varying meanings, with some signifying mourning and others purity. The booths also helped children make paper flowers that look like Día de los Muertos cempasúchil flower.
Children and families were able to build their own miniature altars. Families brought photos of loved ones who passed away to honor them.
In the midst of the activities, food trucks maintained lines during the 38 degree Nov. night. Attendees stayed warm with tacos and pozole, a traditional Mexican soup.
Girls with painted faces and tehuana dresses, a traditional garment known for its embroidery, provided entertainment as they danced inside the Union to classic Latinx music.
Gabriela Mendoza, an Ogden local, said the occasion was a perfect opportunity to gather with the community and indulge.
“We gather as a family; we never let them slip off, ever,” Mendoza said. “We gather all our memories and everything we want to share with them, and we carry those memories and Nov. 2 we indulge together.”
Mendoza urges people to see the beauty within the Latinx culture, celebrate those who’ve passed and not allow time to let the memories fade away.
