A Day of the Dead celebration with a somber twist

When bottles of Jose Cuervo tequila, corn husks and edible candy skulls adorned with the names of the deceased cover an altar on College Green, it must be the Day of the Dead.

Dia de los Muertos, the "Day of the Dead," is typically celebrated on Nov. 2 and is an Aztec-Mexican tradition honoring relatives and mocking death itself.

The members Latino student organizations Mexico@Penn and El Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan chose to mark the occasion by honoring those Latin American immigrants who have lost their lives in their struggle to get to the United States, according to College sophomore Eduardo Orozco, a Mexican native and Mex@Penn board member.

"In this Day of the Dead, we remember those who searched for a dignified life, and who because of it, had to cross fatal borders and ceased to be," he said. "In this Day of the Dead, which really celebrates life, let's celebrate the hope of achieving a dignified life for all, a dignified death for all and a dignity of humanity without borders."

Mex@Penn president and Mexico native Sofia Elizondo-Jasso said that the event was not intended to attack U.S. immigration policy.

"It's not to demonize the American government," the College senior said. "If illegals don't have their legal documents . it's understandable why there is a problem. But there are many of them dying in the desert because of unbearable human trafficking, and [the process of coming to America] has turned into a Darwinian experience where only the strongest survive."

Tucked away in a small corner of College Green, the altar set up by the groups was decorated with bright, traditional skulls and gifts for the dead.

Folk paintings of the skeleton bride and dead mariachi, symbols of revelry, flanked the altar in bright shades of yellow, green, magenta and blue.

Lourdes Trevino, vice president Mexico@Penn, said that the holiday "is not like American Halloween in the sense of trick or treating. It's a strong belief in life after death and essentially a celebration of life," said.

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