Day of the Dead inspires a new generation of Hispanics

In Mexico, when a loved one passes away, the Day of the Dead is an annual reminder to celebrate a deceased person as they make their way back to the land of living.

On Friday, a conglomeration of groups came together to keep the tradition alive in the Magic Valley by hosting its second annual Day of the Dead celebration.

The event was sponsored by the South Central Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Intermountain Health Care, 99.1 La Perrona, Mega 97.5, Tu Voz Latina 91.9 and Capital Education.

Roy Villasenor, a board member for the South Central Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said growing up his family did not really celebrate the holiday.

“I’ll be honest with you, I thought Day of the Dead was Halloween,” Villasenor said. “I didn’t know it was something different.”

He said he didn’t understand until much later that there was a deeper meaning to the day and every item used to celebrate.

“It means a lot more than just Halloween,” Villasenor said.

He said the holiday can be a way to to remember people from your family that you might not have ever met.

“I think it gives us a chance to bring back some memories and share with our younger generation,” he said, adding, “’Hey this is your great grandpa. This is us what they used to do.”

The nearly three day celebration begins on Oct. 31 to celebrate those who died in accidents. Nov. 1 marks those who died as children and Nov. 2 marks those who died as adults.

The celebration began when Spanish conquistadors landed in Mexico and introduced Catholicism to the indigenous people. They blended the traditions and beliefs to create a new custom.

“I think Day of the Dead is something that a lot of it really represents us culturally,” Silvia Rosales told the Time-News. “It’s something that other cultures don’t partake in, so it’s a way to really keep our identity intact.”

Rosales, a member for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce board who spearheaded the event, said she did not grow up celebrating Day of the Dead but it has helped her reconnect with her culture.

She recalled how the 2017 Disney movie “Coco” shed light on the holiday and believes that people want to explore more of the Hispanic culture.

“It’s a way to keep rooted in our culture,” she said. “I think its important for our younger generation to do that as well, so that we can reconnect and really bring that culture back, because it is an essential piece of who we are.”

Graciela Peña has lived in Burley for 15 years but has never attended a Day of the Dead celebration. She said that she moved to Idaho from California and that in California the day is celebrated annually.

Peña said that when she started celebrating, the altars her family used were pretty small but have come to grow.

Her daughters Shainaya, 13, and Xiomara, 7, both dressed up for the event in face paint to celebrate the holiday. Peña said it is important for her children to celebrate Day of the Dead.

“It’s part of our culture,” she said. “I grew up with it and I love it. I get emotional just thinking about it.”

Shainaya shared the same sentiment with her mom, saying that she loves celebrating the holiday because it is a way of remembering those who have passed.

The Day of the Dead celebration is an annual event with the South Central Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and both Villasenor and Rosales encourage more people to show out next year.

“Hopefully, next year, we can get more people out here,” Villasenor said, “and we can share a little bit more.”