We remember them with joy, with sorrow, with affection; with their favorite foods and drinks.

We remember them in every face of those who are still here, in every trace they left behind, in every lesson they taught us.

We remember them when we speak to them, when we feel them, when we love them; when we give ourselves the space to live through whatever emotion arises.

We remember them once more, because in the rhythm of daily life we may forget that, although they are no longer here as before, they are still present.

Indigenous Peoples have a different appreciation of death: first, they recognize it as a natural part of life; second, they celebrate it and welcome it; and third, they laugh at it. All this with the intention of seeing it as it truly is, death, nothing more. Without the mind鈥檚 added layers, without attachment to the material state of existence.

On Monday, November 3rd, during an intimate and special autumn afternoon, we gathered in community – students, professors, and staff from 精品成人福利在线 University; leaders and members of the Indigenous communities of Mexico and Ecuador; and students from the Kichwa Language and Culture course, their instructor and Kichwa community leader, Atik Paguay, his family, to take part in this event called: Dia de los muertos: from memory to tradition鈥�.

On this occasion, we built together the temple for our beloved departed, with yellow and orange flowers; we placed their photos, offered their favorite fruits, and each person shared an intention or a personal message for their loved ones.

We learned about calaveritas, that poetic form that turns our fears into humor and allows us to celebrate life. The session was guided by the Mexican Indigenous artist Marco Nieto, who invited us to laugh at death through words and creativity.

We invited death – the calaca, the huesuda, as our Mexican brothers and sisters call her -; we wrote her a poem, laughed at her, and drew her closer to us, normalizing what is still considered taboo or superstition. In doing so, we softened with joy what once caused us fear.

Ver贸nica Muenala, a Kichwa Otavalo leader and member of the Pueblos Originarios group, prepared the 鈥渃olada morada鈥� for us, offering much more than a drink. During the Spanish conquest, the Indigenous peoples of Ecuador created it as a symbol of resistance, honor, and connection with their departed loved ones.

This beverage, made with purple corn representing life, and morti帽o (andean blueberry), which connects us with the departed, along with guaguas de pan, gives us a symbolic means to talk to them.
We had the opportunity to form a circle and shout in harmony, 鈥淲antiya.鈥� As Atik Paguay explained, it is an energetic cry that people traditionally use so that the energies of the deceased may be welcomed into the natural environment.

Finally, Mije leader, Pr贸spero Mart铆nez shared his live music, filling the space with his guitar, songs, and energy. His presence reminded us that traditions are also sound, body, and community.
All these different Day of the Dead traditions, together, achieve the same purpose: an encounter with those who have passed on to another state, unknown, yet close. A place where the material body ceases to exist, but energy continues its journey through the vast universe of which we are all a part.

We thank the Council of Indigenous Peoples and the Latin American Indigenous Collaborative (LAIC) of CLaSE for organizing an event that allowed us to reconnect with our loved ones. We honored them as a community and perceived death as a state of energetic transformation.

The emotions and thoughts this event evoked in me were deeply tied to the familiarity of these traditions, to my Ecuadorian culture, and to the recent memory of my grandfather, who passed away a few months ago. It offered me a perspective of celebration that doesn鈥檛 necessarily need to be sad, but rather colorful, energetic, and full of hope.
Wantiya to all our loved ones, may the energetic cry have been felt, and may your energy have been embraced by nature.

Written by: Micaela Pesantez Rodriguez – Graduate Students and HOLA fellow.

En espa帽ol:

La muerte es algo inevitablemente com煤n a todos nosotros; celebrarla, conversar sobre ella y re铆rnos juntos, a pesar del miedo, nos permite crecer y abrazar la dualidad de la vida. Por eso, celebraciones como el D铆a de los Muertos, presentes en distintas culturas y pa铆ses, nos conceden este espacio para que, en comunidad, nos permitamos sentir, compartir memorias y reconocer que el amor hacia nuestros difuntos siempre permanece, aunque cambie de forma.

Los recordamos con alegr铆a, con pena, con cari帽o; con sus comidas y bebidas favoritas de las personas queridas que ya dejaron este mundo.

Los recordamos en cada rostro de quienes siguen aqu铆, en cada huella que dejaron, en cada lecci贸n que nos ense帽aron.

Los recordamos al hablarles, al sentirles, al amarles; al darnos el espacio para vivir cualquier emoci贸n que surja.

Los recordamos una vez m谩s, porque con el ritmo diario quiz谩 olvidamos que, aunque ya no est谩n como antes, siguen estando.

Los Pueblos Originarios tienen una apreciaci贸n distinta de la muerte: primero, la reconocen como parte natural de la vida; segundo, la celebran y le dan la bienvenida; y tercero, se r铆en de ella. Todo esto con la intenci贸n de verla tal como es: muerte, nada m谩s. Sin a帽adiduras de la mente, sin apego al estado material de la existencia.

El lunes 3 de noviembre, durante una 铆ntima y especial tarde de oto帽o, nos reunimos en comunidad: estudiantes, profesores y administrativos de la Universidad de Montclair; l铆deres y miembros de las comunidades ind铆genas de M茅xico y Ecuador; los estudiantes del curso de lengua y cultura Kichwa, su instructor y l铆der de comunidades Kichwa, Atik Paguay, su familia, para participar en el evento titulado: 鈥淒铆a de los Muertos: de la memoria a la tradici贸n鈥�.

En esta ocasi贸n todos nosotros armamos el templo para nuestros queridos muertos, con flores amarillas y anaranjadas; colocamos sus fotos, ofrecimos sus frutas favoritas, y cada persona comparti贸 una intenci贸n o un mensaje personal para sus seres queridos.

Aprendimos sobre las calaveritas, ese recurso po茅tico que transforma nuestros miedos en humor y nos permite celebrar la vida. La sesi贸n fue guiada por el poeta y artista mexicano Marco Nieto, quien nos invit贸 a re铆rnos de la muerte a trav茅s de la palabra y la creatividad.

Invitamos a la muerte – la calaca, la huesuda – como le dicen nuestros hermanos mexicanos; le escribimos una poes铆a, nos re铆mos de ella y la acercamos a nosotros, normalizando aquello que a煤n es tab煤 o superstici贸n. As铆, suavizamos con alegr铆a lo que alguna vez nos caus贸 temor.

Ver贸nica Muenala, miembro de los Pueblos Originarios, nos prepar贸 la colada morada y nos brind贸 algo mucho m谩s que una bebida. Durante la conquista espa帽ola, los pueblos ind铆genas del Ecuador la crearon como un s铆mbolo de resistencia, honor y conexi贸n con sus muertos.

Esta bebida, elaborada con ma铆z morado que representa la vida y con morti帽o, que nos une con los difuntos, junto a las guaguas de pan, nos brinda un medio simb贸lico para conversar con ellos.
Tuvimos la oportunidad de armar un c铆rculo y gritar en armon铆a 鈥淲antiya鈥�. Como explic贸 Atik Paguay, es un grito energ茅tico que la gente acostumbra mencionar para que las energ铆as de los fallecidos sean aceptadas en el entorno de la naturaleza.

Finalmente, el l铆der ind铆gena mije, Pr贸spero Mart铆nez, comparti贸 su m煤sica en vivo, llenando el espacio del sonido de su guitarra, cantos y energ铆a. Su presencia nos record贸 que las tradiciones son tambi茅n m煤sica, cuerpo y comunidad.

Todas estas diferentes tradiciones del D铆a de los Muertos, en conjunci贸n, logran el mismo prop贸sito: un encuentro con los que ya han pasado a otro estado, desconocido y, al mismo tiempo, cercano. Un lugar donde el cuerpo material deja de existir, pero la energ铆a contin煤a su camino en el vasto universo del que todos somos parte.

Agradecemos al Consejo de los Pueblos Originarios y al Latin American Indigenous Collaborative (LAIC) de CLaSE por haber organizado un evento que nos permiti贸 reconectar con nuestros seres queridos. Los honramos en comunidad y percibimos la muerte como un estado de transformaci贸n energ茅tica.

Las emociones y pensamientos que gener贸 en m铆 este evento estuvieron profundamente ligados a la familiaridad de estas tradiciones, a mi cultura ecuatoriana y al recuerdo reciente de mi abuelo, quien parti贸 hace unos meses. Me ofreci贸 una perspectiva de celebraci贸n que no necesariamente necesita ser triste, sino en cambio colorida, energ茅tica y esperanzadora.

Wantiya a todos nuestros seres queridos – que el grito energ茅tico se haya sentido y que la energ铆a de ustedes haya sido aceptada en la naturaleza.

Micaela Pesantez Rodriguez – Estudiante de graduado y miembro de HOLA

Organized by 鈥� Historia Oral de los Latinos y Archivo digital, the event honored the culmination of a meaningful oral history project. Students in the Spanish for Heritage Speakers classes spent the Spring semester connecting with members of the Cuban and Cuban American communities, conducting audio interviews that captured powerful stories of resilience, adaptation, success, and nostalgia.

Now, these voices and memories live on through the , where they can be heard, shared, and celebrated 鈥� a growing archive that empowers the community while preserving its rich cultural legacy.

The event drew a crowd of more than 75 attendees, including students, interviewees and their families, the Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Dr. Fatma Mili, faculty members, and the Chair of the Spanish and Latino Studies Department, Dr. Maria Jos茅 Garc铆a Vizca铆no, who is a steadfast supporter of events honoring Spanish-speaking communities.

Guests were welcomed into a space filled with vibrant photography by Thomas Franklin, whose exhibit featured stunning images captured during his trips to Cuba. Dr. Franklin also shared reflections on his experiences on the island, offering insight into the art, history, and humanity behind his photography.

Throughout the evening, attendees listened to excerpts of the recorded interviews 鈥� stories that inspired emotion, gratitude, and pride 鈥� and engaged in heartfelt conversations about culture, memory, and identity.

The celebration concluded on a joyful note with delicious Cuban food and an energetic Cha Cha Cha dance lesson led by Bernie Moran, which filled the room with laughter and nostalgia, bringing everyone together to the irresistible rhythms of the island.

Visiones of Cuba was more than an event 鈥� it was a celebration of storytelling, community, and connection, showcasing how student scholarship and community engagement can create bridges between generations and cultures.