The Shops at Riverwoods came alive with color, Catrina costumes, a mariachi band and more to commemorate Día de los Muertos on Oct. 11.
“Día de los Muertos is a celebration of life,” event organizer Stefanie Valdivieso said. “It’s to honor those who have passed before us.”
Día de los Muertos, which translates to “Day of the Dead,” is a centuries-old holiday. It is traditionally celebrated from Nov. 1-2 across Latin American countries. The tradition brings families together to celebrate the lives of their loved ones after they have passed away.
“We come together as a community, as families, and we take the time to remember the people that are no longer here with us,” Dennissa Valdivieso, founder of Utah Latina, said.
The tradition allows families to learn about their loved ones and what they enjoyed during their time here.
“It's just a very special thing to learn about my grandpa who passed who I didn't really get to know or an aunt, you know, who was far away, and I wasn't able to see her,” Stefanie Valdivieso said.
Stefanie Valdivieso, Dennissa Valdivieso and Ani Allen are sisters who organized the event together. They said they did not celebrate Día de los Muertos growing up. Now, they have each implemented the tradition into their lives to give themselves the opportunity to talk about their ancestors with their families.
Dennissa Valdivieso said the altar is the heart of the celebration to her.
“It's a place where people can come and bring pictures of their loved ones that are no longer here,” Dennissa Valdivieso said.
Attendees placed photos, food and more on the altar, also known as an ofrenda or "offering" in English. In the Día de los Muertos tradition, these offerings welcome the spirits of loved ones back to the land of the living.
The organizers invited traditional performers and vendors. They also provided activities for children to teach them and keep the tradition alive through future generations.
“A lot of times, we go on in life and you know, we forget our ancestors and we forget the people that came before us,” Ani Allen, co-founder of Mama Connect, said. “This celebration, it's truly for that, to celebrate the people that are no longer here with us and continue teaching that, the heritage behind it.”