The last day of October marks not only the day of American holiday Halloween, but also the beginning of the three-day Hispanic holiday Día de los Muertos.
University of Memphis Spanish professor Dora Berry said the two holidays are actually different from each other, despite their similar themes.
“Día de los Muertos is not exactly the same as the (Halloween) celebration,” Berry said. “There is a difference. It is when you celebrate the souls of the dead, of course, and they return to Earth to visit the families.”
Día de los Muertos, which translates to “Day of the Dead,” is a Hispanic holiday typically celebrated by families gathering and remembering their loved ones who have passed away.
In her class, Berry showed her students “Coco,” a Disney film about a boy named Miguel who was transported to land of the dead due to a mistake. She further explains the process of preparing for the holiday and what cultures celebrate it, drawing similarities to the movie’s portrayal.
“All catholic and all Latino American cultures celebrate in different ways,” Berry said. “Mexicans want to celebrate with more activities, and (it) is kind of a happy moment for them to encounter and prepare everything for the family.”
Another U of M Spanish professor, José Magana, said different cultures in Latin America have their own ways to celebrate it.
“I come from Mexico, and Mexico is very important to celebrating our dead, our faithfully departed,” Magana said. “And we celebrate every Nov. 2. It’s like a birthday party for the dead.”
Magana said the holidays look similar because of a focus on darker concepts like death.
“I guess the similarity is that they focus on something that is kind of obscured, like death or witches,” Magana said. “But the difference is that on the day of the dead, Mexicans celebrate it by going to the cemetery and then fix and clean the tombs of the dead.”
U of M Spanish major Daniela Urista, said Day of the Dead isn’t supposed to be scary, but instead respectful to those who died.
“Basically, the importance of it is to remember the loved ones that have passed,” Urista said. “It’s not supposed to be scary. It’s something that’s supposed to help you remember the good times and the good memories you have with that person ... I feel like Halloween is more based on physically dressing up as a princess and going door to door, but this is not what that is.”
Urista and other Spanish club members organized a Día de los Muertos celebration from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday in the University Center Atrium.
