Bakersfield College’s Maize club celebrated the annual cultural tradition, Day of the Dead, on Oct. 31 – Nov. 2.
Maize set up an altar displaying photos, Mexican lottery cards, colorful painted skulls, flowers, sugar skulls, cigarettes, glasses of water and bread in BC’s Campus Center stage.
The photos displayed consisted of different Mexican and Cuban icons that have died such as Che Guevara (Cuban revolutionist), Emiliano Zapata (Mexican Revolutionist), and Diego Rivera.
A lot of the heroes are not just political, but were people who stood up for the poor. They were true icons, real heroes, said Carlos Gomez, Maize club member. The altar also displayed relatives of club members who have died.
The Day of the Dead is often misconstrued. Jesse Ibarra, Maize club president, said many think it is a way of worshiping the dead.
But in reality, death is a beautiful thing. It is a way of honoring our loved ones, Ibarra said.
The pre-Columbian festival is an indigenous festival, and it is not just celebrated in Mexico. It is also celebrated in Central America and South America.
In Mexico, Day of the Dead is a mixture of pre-Hispanic and Christian traditions and beliefs. Many believe that the spirits of the dead return on the day of the holiday.
Some places celebrate the festival for a day or an entire week, said Ibarra. In traditional Mexico, families gather and visit graves at cemeteries of dead loved ones said Gomez.
The altar includes four main elements of nature – earth, wind, water and fire. Earth is represented by crops. The Mexicans believe that the aroma of food frees the souls. A moving object represents wind. Tissue paper is commonly used to represent wind. A wax candle represents fire. Each lit candle represents a soul, and an extra one is placed for the forgotten soul.