Saturday is the beginning of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. The holiday is observed from Nov. 1 to 2 and honors loved ones who have died.
Ancient Mexicans believed that during this period of time, the dead had a brief window to leave the spirit realm and visit their loved ones in the mortal world. The holiday is celebrated throughout Latin America, with people decorating altars, or ofrendas, with sugar skulls, orange marigolds and items that their loved ones enjoyed.
Sandy Zarate is an instructor at SanZar Dance Company. Her group will perform at a Día de los Muertos event in Wenatchee on Saturday. She said the holiday is important to her because loved ones come back to visit, and it’s a reason to celebrate.
“For me, Día de los Muertos means a living tradition. It’s something that connects me to my culture. As a woman with Mexican heritage, this tradition fills me with pride,” Zarate said in Spanish. “While in other parts of the world death is associated with mourning and pain, we — Latinos, and especially Mexicans — see it with joy. We believe there is something beyond death and that our departed loved ones come back to visit us. ”
On Saturday, the Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce Hispanic Business Council will host a Day of the Dead celebration at the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center from 4 to 8 p.m.
The event is free. Local mariachi performances and folkloric group dancing are planned. The museum encourages people to bring photographs of loved ones who have died to display on a local community altar.
