Day of the Dead Celebration at Southern Utah University
Published: November 01, 2018 | Author: Savannah Byers | Read Time: 2 minutes
Southern Utah University is hosting the fourth annual Day of the Dead celebration on November 2nd beginning at 5:30 p.m at the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA). The event will include an art exhibit, face painting, crafts, traditional foods, and a special performance of Cedar City Ballet Folklorico.
Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated on November 2nd in honor of loved ones who have passed away. Traditions on this holiday include cleaning and decorating graves, building altars (ofrendas), and honoring the dead with calaveras (sugar skulls), aztec marigolds, and traditional foods and beverages.
“The Day of the Dead celebration is a unique event that brings together the SUU community and the broader community of Cedar City in celebration of an important element of Latinx culture,” said Jason Smith, languages and philosophy department chair.
Each year, SUU has focused on a different aspect of the elaborate Day of the Dead festivities and traditional Mexican culture. This year emphasis will be centered on alebrijes. Alebrijes are brightly colored animal hybrids, such as a lion with the head of an eagle or a donkey with butterfly wings. SUU students submitted their original alebrijes artwork to be featured in the exhibit. The top art pieces will receive awards.
“People won’t want to miss this year's celebration as we honor loved ones who have passed on,” said Junice Acosta Martinez, associate professor of Spanish. “Participants will enjoy our students amazing artwork and all the activities we have organized for the Day of the Dead celebration.”
Each year, Dr. Junice Acosta has facilitated this growing tradition along with the Department of Languages and Philosophy, Dr. Hala Sweringen, the Art and Design Department, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, SUMA, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, the Student Programming Board, and Sigma Delta Pi (National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society).
Tags: SUMA College of Performing and Visual Arts
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