Gallery • 5 Photos

Aalia Khan

With music playing, snacks offered and craft supplies available Mungano helped provide an outlet for Baker students to celebrate the life of loved ones who had passed. The students were welcome to come decorate frames to go on an ofrenda.

On Oct. 26, Mungano hosted an event to help prepare for Día de Muertos, or “Day of the Dead“, celebration. The event took place at the “Union Den” located in the basement of Harter Union.

Mungano invited students on campus to enjoy hot chocolate, traditional Mexican cookies and make frames to go on an “ofrenda” they would be putting up on campus. An ofrenda can be a table consisting of two or more levels with the tiers getting smaller as you go up. The bottom tear is normally where gifts, food and other items special to loved ones are placed.

“This event is an opportunity to pay respects to our loved ones through an ofrenda, which is traditionally put up as a gateway to a past life to present life as a way to remember them.” Senior Mercedes Ruiz, the president of Mungano, said.

On the ofrenda, students were welcomed to bring a picture of a loved one who has passed (including pets) along with an object that held significant value to them.

“I think it pays more respect when the photos are accompanied by the things that the loved one liked. For example, their favorite snacks, shirt and jewelry so they can come back and eat and wear it,” Ruiz said.

Food is seen as an important part of celebrating Día de Muertos and is normally seen as a staple for both the living and left for the dead to eat when they visit.

When addressing the group, Ruiz shared a personal example of the person she would be adding to the ofrenda.  Ruiz stated that she would be adding her grandmother and something that she truly loved when she was alive: Coca-Cola in a glass bottle.

Sophomore Sebastian Cordova thought that the event was a great way for people to commemorate their loved ones who had passed. Cordova also added an offering to the ofrenda, but he would be adding a pet who had passed.

“Her name was Lexi. She was only two or three.  She was my first dog who was actually mine,” Cordova said. “I really loved her, I trained her and everything. I still remember her every once in a while even though we have new dogs.”

Even if students didn’t have a loved one to put on the ofrenda, they were still encouraged to make frames for those who couldn’t attend. This is what Junior Kiley Jenkins, Mungano Community Leader, did to help support.

This event was a way to help students celebrate the life of their loved ones who had passed and feel a sense of family through school.

“Mungano is like a family and I do whatever I can to help support,” Jenkins said.

The ofrenda will be up in the entrance of Harter Union located in the display case across from the Wildcat Wearhouse.

Mungano’s next event will be held on Nov. 8 in the Union Den for their Election Events. The game Yan-Koloba, which is a team-building game, will be played.