News & Events

Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead, sometimes called Día de los Muertos in English-speaking cultures), is a Mexican cultural holiday observed from October 31 through November 2. It is a celebration of remembrance for loved ones who have died.

For an overview of the holiday and its history, see Credo Reference's Day of the Dead topic page. As you work on your research this fall, Credo is an excellent place to get general information on many other subjects.

In the WCC Library

Skulls to the living, bread to the dead: the day of the dead in Mexico and beyond (print book, 2006) by Stanley H. Brandes
"Challenges the misconception of Mexico's national fascination with death and instead looks at the unique and elaborate celebrations of life that have become a symbol of the nation."

Day of the Dead in the USA: the migration and transformation of a cultural phenomenon (print book, 2009) by Regina M. Marchi
"Honoring relatives by tending graves, building altars, and cooking festive meals has been an honored tradition among Latin Americans for centuries. ... Focusing on the power of ritual to serve as a communication medium, Regina M. Marchi combines a mix of ethnography, historical research, oral history, and critical cultural analysis to explore the manifold and unexpected transformations that occur when the tradition is embraced by the mainstream."

Food for the ancestors (film on DVD, 2006) by PBS
"Presents Mexican customs relating to the care and remembrance of the dead as celebrated in the culturally rich state of Puebla. Focuses on folk arts related to the celebration, such as weaving, pottery, dance, and preparation of special foods."

Celebrate on campus

There will be a Día de los Muertos event on Saturday, November 1 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Syre auditorium. All are welcome.