Chaffey College celebrates Día de los Muertos
By Salma Calderon
There was so much for the community to enjoy at the Chaffey College community event celebrating Día de los Muertos on Oct. 26, 2022.
With many students on campus and the Chaffey community now focusing on the cultural aspects of their community, there was a grand event held at Chaffey College's Rancho Cucamonga campus to celebrate Día de los Muertos.
Generally celebrated Nov. 1 and 2, Día de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday which honors those who have been lost and welcomes back their souls for a brief reunion with food, drinks, and altars to celebrate and honor their lives.
Chaffey College encouraged their community to come together to enjoy what the school had to offer in honor of this sacred day.
There were delicacies for grabs such as Pan de Muerto, which is a Mexican bread typically placed on an altar for the crossing souls, and champurrado, a warm Mexican chocolate-based atole beverage.
Pan de Muerto placed on an altar/ By Salma Calderon
Members of the Chaffey community were able to come together to build a community altar to guide the souls back to their homes.
The ofrenda at Chaffey College / By Salma Calderon
The altar held many ofrendas (offerings) such as photos of past loved ones to call them to wake, calaveras (sugar skulls) to represent the sweetness of life, and marigolds to symbolize the brevity of life.
Hosted to the side, many attendees were able to come take part of their own piece of the celebration by creating papel picado, a typical Mexican decoration created by hand used to symbolize emotions and elements.
In the bookstore, many were able to see a beautiful community altar which anyone could contribute to with photos of their loved ones and leave ofrendas when walking in or out.
The main event was being able to witness the most beautiful performances of danzeta, also known as the dance of the Chichimecas, Aztecas and Mexicas. Everyone was able to view pieces of art through sacred dances performed by Rialto local Danzante Community, hear the native cries to the sun, and feel the stomps of the baile de lluvia (the dance of the rain).
Once the drums sounded there was a crowd of proud individuals watching their culture unfold in all its beauty as the line of dancers came in and blessed the altar.
Thank you to Chaffey College for allowing the community to commend a blessing to those who have passed on and will come to visit again soon.