Among the performers at the School of Social Ecology’s Día de los Muertos event on Nov. 2 were dancers from Ballet Folklorico de UCI. Photos by Karen Tapia and Greg Andersen. Videos by Han Parker.
Social Ecology’s first Día de los Muertos event is a joyous celebration
More than 1,000 students, faculty, staff and community members converged on the Irvine Barclay Theatre for the School of Social Ecology’s first Día de los Muertos event Nov. 2, presented by Northgate González Market.
The lively event, culminating with a packed performance by the two-time Grammy Award winning Mariachi Divas, was the School’s tribute to its growing Latino student population.
“Nearly half our undergraduate students are Latino, 46 percent to be exact,” Dean Jon Gould told the crowd, who responded with cheers and applause. “In fact, we have more Latino students in our school than any other school here at UC Irvine, and we dedicate this event to our Latino community and heritage.”
The roots of Dia de los Muertos go back thousands of years to rituals honoring the dead. The Aztecs and other Nahua people living in what is now central Mexico held a cyclical view of the universe, seeing death as an integral, ever-present part of life. In rituals honoring the dead, family members provide food, water and other offerings on their loved ones’ graves, or set them out on altars, called ofrendas, in their homes.
Students created a beautifully decorated colorful altar with pictures of their deceased loved ones, candles, cempasúchil (marigolds) and Mexican serapes (blankets). The ofrenda served as the centerpiece of the day. It was flanked by a moving poem written by Manuel Gomez, social ecology alumnus and UCI emeritus vice chancellor of student affairs; a digital altar, featuring dedications submitted by members of the public; and a prayer wall, where guests tied messages for their loved ones onto marigolds on the wall.
Punctuating the free event’s festive atmosphere outside the theater were performances by Danza Azteca Toyaacan, singer Yelka Gonzalez-Vargas, Ballet Folklorico de UCI and mariachi and dancing by students from three Anaheim elementary schools.
Members of the public who attended the event said they were thankful for the opportunity to gather on campus to celebrate the memories of their deceased family members and friends.
“I was very emotional,” said Laura Hernandez, who attended the event with her 8-year-old daughter Miranda. “The Mariachi Divas were amazing, all the performers were amazing, the tamales from Northgate were so good. We loved the face painting and all the activities and the beautiful altar. Everyone was so positive, in a really great mood. I am so grateful I was able to introduce my daughter to something traditional from our heritage. It felt like I was in Mexico.”
The 51-year-old real estate agent from Costa Mesa held back tears, thinking about the experience. “The most important thing was the amazing cultural representation. What an opportunity to inspire kids like my daughter to aspire to be students at UCI,” Hernandez said.
Speaking of young students, Northgate sponsors an art competition for Día de los Muertos and the winners’ entries are printed on grocery bags. This year’s winners — Julia Lopez, a seventh-grader from Donald S. Jordan Intermediate School in Garden Grove, and Itzel Huerta, a senior from Whitney High School in Cerritos — were recognized during the event.
In addition, philanthropist Alec Glasser presented his $100,000 donation for UCI student scholarships and children from three of the Anaheim schools he supports performed on stage, soliciting much applause.
“The Drake Gives Scholarship Fund is now available to assist any student with financial need who has a desire to pursue a career that involves music in some capacity,” Glasser said. “Music has a profound impact on our society and can be harnessed as a very strong force to bring people together. It is about stories and culture. It comes from the soul. It has a profound impact on us all. Music can be used for mental health support, to promote better cultural understanding, to foster emotional expressions and healing and as a tool for empowerment.”
Indeed, said Cindy Shea, leader of the Mariachi Divas, who told the audience that many of the songs they played were tributes to beloved musicians, such as Pedro Infante, Celia Cruz, Selena Quintanilla, Juan Gabriel and so many others who have died. Performing their music at UCI’s Día de los Muertos event is the Divas’ musical offering, she said.
The altar was created by members of UCI’s MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán).
“This event is for you, your families, and members of the community,” Michelle Sanchez and Brianna Duran, MEChA co-chairs, told the audience in English and Spanish. “Most importantly it is to live and breathe culture. It is essential that our representation remains strong on our campus in order to cultivate a passionate atmosphere where we see ourselves reflected in higher education.”
The event was made possible by Northgate, the presenting sponsor; UCI’s Latinx Resource Center, event sponsor; and community partners — UCI-OC Alliance, MEChA, Ballet Folklorico de UCI and the Bilingual Teacher Student Association. It was powered by the Día de los Muertos Planning Committee.
— Mimi Ko Cruz
Event photos are available on Flickr