Although Día de los Muertos begins the very day after Halloween, the two could not be more different. It is important to note that Día de los Muertos is not Halloween. It is sacred not spooky; it is a comforting celebration of love, memory and family, rather than fright.
At WSU, the spirit of remembrance inspired a new tradition. Martha Flores, WSU’s resident dietitian, developed the event after facing loss. Flores lost multiple family members last year, but could not put together an ofrenda at her home because her dog would have gotten into the appetizing offerings. An ofrenda is a decorated altar honoring those we have lost and are especially common during Día de los Muertos.
In response, her colleagues suggested WSU could have a community ofrenda. This expanded into a partnership with Hillside Dining that brought the community together last year.
The community has been brought together again for a second annual celebration that took place at Hillside on Nov. 3. Mariachi and modern Latin Pop harmonized with the bustle of food being cooked, served and displayed as the doors to Hillside opened.
“Within my culture, I’m Mexican, we like to honor those that have passed. So we like to celebrate their lives instead of mourning them,” Flores said.
Día de los Muertos is an annual opportunity to celebrate all who have passed. Hillside’s celebration of the occasion featured a diverse menu of Mexican cuisine, from sopes to tacos, jamaica to horchata, and pan de muerto to conchas.
“A lot of planning goes into it and like the conchas even that, our bakery has been trying to perfect that recipe all year,” Flores said.
Flores is proud to bring cultural food to WSU Dining, educate people on cuisine from around the world and help people get out of their culinary comfort zone.
“I’ve been trying to make sure to make conscious decisions about the recipes we make,” Flores said.
Flores also wants to connect student organizations to cultural events put on by Dining Services. The Chicanx/Latinx Center was invited to run a Tostilocos table, where members of the club served students popular Mexican street food made of Tostitos or Doritos and piled high with toppings and hot sauce.
Someone who appreciated the array of Mexican food was Resident Advisor Gray, a second-year studying chemistry and political science. Gray particularly loved the sopes, which Flores helped make by hand.
Gray had a complementary perspective to Flores’ when it came to culinary comfort and curiosity.
Even if the food or traditions are different, it could connect students back to their families in a way, Gray said.
“I love being able to send residents towards these events and just go celebrate or at least learn something. Just enjoy the day. I think it’s really fun,” Gray said.
Flores hopes to make Dining Service’s celebration of Día de los Muertos an annual event and to partner with more student organizations to bring other cultural nights to campus. Events like WSU’s Dining Services Día de los Muertos event give individuals within those communities a piece of home, and for those who are not, an environment to learn and experience a new culture.
When we open ourselves up to new experiences, we are able to empathize with people we may not have previously understood, and food is a powerful tool in building those new connections.
