Day of the Dead (Día de muertos)

Visit the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) altar installation in Victoria College Second Floor, from October 26–November 3, 2023.

Once you have arrived at the altar, created by Mexican born Professor Juan Carlos Rocha Osornio from the department of Spanish & Portuguese, you are encouraged to contribute photos and mementos of your loved ones.

Día de los Muertos is believed to reunite the living and the dead through ofrendas (offerings on colourful altars) that are prepared a few days before the holiday. This is when it is believed that the dead return to visit their friends and relatives. Altars are decorated with bright flowers, photos, and the favourite foods of those being honoured. Because of its importance as a defining aspect of Mexican culture it is recognized by UNESCO as a part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2008.

The Day of the Dead altar at Victoria College is open for self-guided visits from October 26–November 3, 2023. On October 26 (1–3 pm), Professor Juan Carlos Rocha Osornio will provide a brief explanation of the importance of celebrating Day of the Dead in Mexico and around the world. This will also be an opportunity for students taking Spanish as a foreign language to mingle with native speakers of the language who will be also during the opening of the altar.