Barbara Minakata celebrating Day of the Dead with other UM law students and professors. Photo courtesy of Barbara Minakata.

Día de los Muertos — Day of the Dead — is a holiday widely observed in Mexico to celebrate and honor the memory of those who have passed.

Traditionally, though not exclusively, Day of the Dead is a time for many to celebrate deceased loved ones. Beautifully decorated altars, family gatherings, delicious meals and many more traditions fuel the festivities on Nov. 1 and 2.

The holiday is a time for connection rather than mourning. For Jack Facio, a sophomore majoring in Arabic and international studies, Day of the Dead allows her to see how such connection comes to be.

“I’ve been able to see how other people in my culture kind of accept their beloved ones being gone and (this is) a way for them to connect with them spiritually,” Facio said.

Similarly, Barbara Minakata, a law student at UM, also views this time as an opportunity for reconnection.

“This is the time of the year when entire families get together to build an altar, share your favorite memories of your lost loved one and remember them by getting to cook and eat all of their favorite foods,” Minakata said. “It is a very special time to remember them, to honor their lives and feel them close again.”

Even though Day of the Dead is a well-known celebration, there are still some misconceptions about the holiday. Because the holiday falls right after Halloween and honors people who are dead, it can be seen as frightening and mournful, but it is quite the opposite.

“It’s not sad. It’s not scary. And I feel like when people think about it, because it’s so close to Halloween, people correlate, or Americans correlate (it), to what they know (as) Halloween – scary, spooky, but it’s really none of that,” Facio said.

Minakata echoed Facio’s sentiments, clarifying that the holiday centers around remembrance and time with family.

“I think a lot of people have a misconception and think that it is a Halloween-like celebration, but that is not what it is at all,” Minakata said. “Day of the Dead is a day that brings families closer to remember someone we lost, to celebrate them and offer them all of their favorite things. It is believed that on that day, your loved one’s soul travels back to earth to be with us.”