By Kevin Demerath

Dia de los Muertos, also called Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday celebrated all over the world. Many other cultures around the world have similar traditions of a day set aside to visit the graves of the deceased.

At 3:45-5 p.m. Tuesday Nov. 5, in the Old Main Ballroom, a Latino Heritage Lecture discussed the Day of the Dead.

“Most people think lecture series are just a lecture when in fact is a discussion among the panel members and the students, and I would highly suggest you attend one to see a different perspective on things,” panel member Sebasthian Hernandez said.

“When people come, they don’t come with questions because they assume it’s just a lecture” Hernandez said.

The lecture takes place two or three times a semester and on a different topic each time.

“I would highly recommend students check out a lecture series on any ethnic group because they are interesting and give you a different perspective on another culture,” Hernandez said.

Melissa Ramirez and Yadira Foulker are panel members too.

“Most students think we are celebrating death instead of life, when we in fact are celebrating the life they had and reminiscing their presence with us,” Ramirez said.

The holiday is broken up into two different days. The first day, Nov. 1, is for the children, since children are innocent, while the next day is for everyone else and still for the children.

“For my grandma I put up an altar with her picture on it with some food offerings and gold coins” Foulker said.

The gold coins are put on the altar for ancestors to pay the toll to get back into the spiritual world. “My grandma was very indigenous to her roots, so she made her own tequila so I put some on the altar for her, and when I woke up some was missing” Foulker said.

The Day of the Dead is for ancestors who have passed, so they will play the ancestors favorite music, have their favorite food and their favorite beverage.

“My grandpa loved horses and owned a bunch too, so in remembering him we had a parade of horses and marigold flowers which are the flowers most used,” Ramirez said.

“Anyone can celebrate the Day of the Dead, no matter what your ethnicity is or religion is,” Ramirez said.

The holiday originated in Mexico, but it was traditionally a Roman Catholic tradition.

“I think it’s truly important for anyone to know the history,” Hernandez said. “It’s a good way to learn about the heritage”.

Every year in Milwaukee, the museum hosts an event for the Day of the Dead.

“I would recommend people go an experience it at least once, it may open up your eyes like it did to me” Foulker said.

“The best part for me is getting to eat the food, because it’s the best food, and praying the rosary with my family,” Ramirez said.

“To find when lectures series are put on you can receive emails from the multi affairs committee, word by mouth, diversity professors, and global perspective is where I found out about them,” Hernandez said.