Ecuadorian folkloric dance group Sumak Pakarina performs at DÃa de los Muertos, hosted by the Latine Student Association (LSA).
Last Friday evening, November 1, the Latine Student Association held its annual DÃa de los Muertos event in the Rauenhorst Ballroom, a celebration they have hosted for more than a decade. DÃa de los Muertos takes place each year on November 1 and 2 in remembrance of family or other loved ones who have passed. It is observed in Mexico, with similar holidays in Guatemala, Dominican Republic, and other Latin American countries.
Ofrendas (altars) are built to place photos of the deceased and are decorated with marigold flowers, sugar skulls, loved ones’ favorite foods, and candles. Since mid-October, LSA displayed its very own ofrenda on the ground floor of the Coeur de Catherine. The day of the event, the group placed it in front of the Rauenhorst Ballroom for all guests to observe, and included photos of board members’ relatives, pets, or celebrities. In the third-floor atrium, LSA set up a photobooth where guests could take pictures with props like cut-out skulls and small banners with “DÃa de los Muertos†signage.
Kristina Soulier-Olalde ’25, president of the Latine Student Association (LSA), speaks at the event.
LSA built an ofrenda (altar) for photos of the deceased, decorated with marigold flowers, sugar skulls, loved ones’ favorite foods, and candles.
Catering was provided by Lino's Mexican Grill (owned by the mother of LSA vice president Ashantti Lino Altamirano ’26), with some desserts from local Mexican bakery Panederia San Miguel.
Mexico Azteca, folkloric ballet dance group, performs.
Mexico Azteca, folkloric ballet dance group, performs.
Students and other audience members applaud.
Students pose at the themed photobooth.
Students pose at the themed photobooth.
The event consisted of performances by Sumak Pakarina, an Ecuadorian folkloric dance group; Mexico Azteca, a folkloric ballet dance group; and Chinelos San Pablo Apostol, a Mexican costumed dance group originating from poking fun at Europeans’ way of dressing. At the end of Chinelos San Pablo Apostol’s performance, dancers encouraged guests to join them in dancing in circles, alternating directions to different beats.
Catering was provided by Lino's Mexican Grill, which is owned by the mother of LSA vice president Ashantti Lino Altamirano’s ‘26; some of the desserts were from Panederia San Miguel, a local Mexican bakery. Food included a taco bar, rice, beans, tamales, and iconic dishes such as tamales dulces (sweet tamales), pan de muerto (bread of the dead), flan, and tres leches cake.
This was some students' first time attending the annual celebration. Junior Pa Tshia Lee ’26 expresses, “People were very kind, which made me feel very comfortable coming to this event, especially since I haven’t attended an event outside my culture. The colors and music were cheerful, and I couldn’t stop smiling.â€
First-year Sher Sher Kur ’28 agrees. "The event was nice. I got to watch a traditional dance, which was awesome to experience in person, and I really love the tres leches; it's my first time trying it,†she said. “And I really love the traditional clothes! They're so beautiful."
Senior Maria Ngangsic-Asongu ’24 has attended for multiple years and enjoyed this year’s celebration, saying she “loved the Ecuadorian and Mexican performances, and the food was delicious!"
To learn more about LSA and their events, email lsa@stkate.edu or visit their Instagram account:
Photos by Rebecca Zenefski Slater ’10.