Celebrate Dia De Los Muertos at Cal Poly Oct. 28

SAN LUIS OBISPO – Cal Poly Xicano/Latino groups begin a month-long celebration of their culture on Saturday, Oct. 28 with a Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration.

The public is invited to participate in this cultural event and honor a deceased loved one by contributing to the “altars” that will be displayed in Chumash Auditorium between 6 – 10 p.m.

Day of the Dead is a family occasion to remember ancestors whose spirits visit the earth once a year, according to El Movimiento Estudiantil Xicano de Aztlan, one of the sponsors of the Cal Poly event. The concept of the cycle of life is a tradition for many native and indigenous peoples worldwide, and is a tradition that has been alive in Mexico since the Aztec civilization.

Today, Día de los Muertos is celebrated in many communities throughout Mexico and the United States. It is believed that the spirits of the dead visit their families between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2. To celebrate, families make altars that include “ofrendas” (offerings) of food baked in shapes of skulls and figures, candles, incense, yellow marigolds known as “cempazuchitl,” and most importantly a photo of the departed soul.

La Comisión Estudiantil, a collaborative of Xicano/Latino based student clubs and fraternities and sororities, joins the Cal Poly Multicultural Center and the Cal Poly Chicana/Latino Faculty Staff Association to sponsor a series of events that will celebrate Xicano/Latino culture at Cal Poly during the month of November.

Xicano/Latino Heritage month cultural events will continue every Thursday in November with an array of speakers and activities. For more information on this series of events, contact the Multicultural Center at 805-756-1405 or email Eduardo Rangel at errangel@calpoly.edu.

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