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OGDEN — Roberto Balli and Gina Valdez had never celebrated Día de los Muertos, but the couple says creating their first ofrenda, or offering, this year has been an emotional chance to connect with their decreased loved ones.
Their ofrenda was laid out Saturday on the hood of Balli's green Ford Ranger as part of a car show at Día de los Muertos en Ogden at Ben Lomond High School. Although it's their first time honoring the holiday, the couple says it won't be their last.
"He lost his mom. I lost my dad and my mom and it's dedicated to them," Valdez said. "It makes you proud that you remember your loved ones. This is the day that you remember all your loved ones — no matter who it is, what it is or how they went. ...You feel the love, definitely. I know they're looking down on us."
Día de los Muertos en Ogden is a chance for both those who've spent years celebrating the holiday and first-timers like Valdez and Balli to honor a centurieslong Mexican tradition. The holiday, which is typically celebrated Nov. 1 and 2, is a joyous celebration honoring deceased loved ones and inviting them back to the land of the living to visit families and loved ones.
Día de los Muertos en Ogden director and school board member Arlene Anderson grew up celebrating the holiday at home as the daughter of Mexican immigrants. She was always amazed and intrigued by the candles, marigolds and Virgen de Guadalupe her mother placed on the ofrenda each year, but she said she didn't fully appreciate the significance of the holiday until adulthood.
"It is not Halloween; it's not monstrous. It's not meant to be evil. The skeletons are our ancestors and we paint our faces in remembrance of our ancestors we honor them and we want to continue this legacy," she said. "This is the most special time for me in the year because this is where I celebrate my family, my ancestors."
The success of Día de los Muertos en Ogden, which is now in its third year, is something Anderson never dreamed of.
"We only celebrated it in the home. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine something like this in the community," she said. "At the time, we were probably one of the few Hispanic families in our neighborhood. And so this is something I've only dreamed of. Being able to as an adult bring this to our community and sharing it and creating that sense of belonging and inclusion, it's just such an honor to be part of that."
The high school was transformed Friday and Saturday with sounds of Aztec drums and ariachi bands and colorful decorations like marigolds, papel picado and two 12-foot skeletons. Hundreds browsed a market, ofrendas and a student art competition. Saturday's festivities began with a blessing from the dance group Danza Azteca Quetzalcoatl.
Israel Medina, who runs the Orem-based group, said each of the group's dances is a prayer and that Saturday's performances were prayers for ancestors. Performing with the group has been a way for Medina, who is from Mexico City, to say connected to his roots while living in the U.S.
"The altars symbolize them coming and being with us for that day, so (the dance) is kind of like asking permission to God to let them come down here, to let them come down and join us in celebrating them," Medina said. "You can kind of feel them, you know, in a way. It's always around this time that you kind of remember them more. Obviously I remember them all the time with people that passed away, but on these days, they're here with us."
Michelle Garcia, a sophomore at Ben Lomond, took first place in the high school painting division. She said she did some research for her piece, which was based on the theme Night of Souls.
"It was definitely a great learning experience because I am Mexican, but I never really celebrated it that much, especially growing up in the United States. So it was really cool learning a bit more about my own culture and where my parents are from," Garcia said.
Although the main draw to the event is cultural, it also serves as a platform to raise funds for scholarships for Latino, particularly undocumented, students in Weber County. Those scholarships are gathered by the nonprofit Ogden Friends of Acoustic Music, which helps provide music education to community youth.
The nonprofit's executive director, Michelle Tanner, said the event has been integral in helping the nonprofit connect with the Latino community. This year's headliner band, Grupo Bella, for example did educational outreach concerts to over 1,450 Ogden students. The nonprofit is now expanding to promote mariachi programs to Ogden youth.
"(They) all benefited from learning about Mexican folk music, learning about the different instruments that band players play and learning about how they have embraced their American culture and Mexican culture, living in Los Angeles, and brought it together," Tanner said. "We've always had that mission, but we just haven't been able to affect the Hispanic, Latinx population until now."
