NHI familia invited to share Dia de los Muertos remembrances

Because the last few Celebración events have been held live in November, the National Hispanic Institute has made a Día de los Muertos altar a part of Celebración. The next Cele date will be announced soon, but won’t be in its usual place on the annual calendar. NHI’s leadership wanted to make sure the familia had a place to show love and remembrance to those who have passed on.

NHI will be creating a digital ofrenda of sorts this year, inviting NHI alumni and supporters to contribute photos and memories. NHI will then feature submissions in a digital flipbook format, also utilizing social media platforms to help commemorate those the community has lost. NHIMagazine.com will also be doing a special remembrance article in conjunction with Día de los Muertos 2020.

Since Día de los Muertos (November 1) falls on a Sunday this year, NHI is looking to gather your fotos y recuerdos over the next few days. Click the link to this Google Form to get started.

If you’re looking for more info on Dia de los Muertos, there’s a fantastic explainer on the National Geographic website that details many aspects of the celebration.

Here’s what it says about the ofrenda in particular:

The centerpiece of the celebration is an altar, or ofrenda, built in private homes and cemeteries. These aren’t altars for worshipping; rather, they’re meant to welcome spirits back to the realm of the living. As such, they’re loaded with offerings—water to quench thirst after the long journey, food, family photos, and a candle for each dead relative. If one of the spirits is a child, you might find small toys on the altar. Marigolds are the main flowers used to decorate the altar. Scattered from altar to gravesite, marigold petals guide wandering souls back to their place of rest. The smoke from copal incense, made from tree resin, transmits praise and prayers and purifies the area around the altar.

Look for more about NHI’s celebrations in the coming days on NHIMagazine.com and on NHI’s Facebook page.