Written by Marcela Isuster and Cristina Carnemolla
Did you know?
October is Latin American Heritage Month in Canada. It is also the month when, in Mexico, people begin preparing altares (altars), catrinas, and ofrendas (offerings) to celebrate Día de los Muertos.
This year, you can learn more about this tradition through a hybrid installation at McLennan Library. The project is a collaboration between CLASHSA (Caribbean and Latin American Studies and Hispanic Studies Association), SLASA (Spanish and Latin American Students’ Association), coordinated by Professors Carnemolla and Chamanadjian of the Hispanic Studies program (Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Department), and Marcela Isuster, Liaison Librarian for Hispanic Studies. Supported by the Dean of Arts Development Fund, the altar showcases all the elements you would find in a traditional one in Mexico.
Curious about the meaning of the catrina or marigold flowers? Just scan the QR code at the display or visit https://diademuertos2025.omeka.net/ to access an online companion to the altar.
A book display titled Entre Mundos / Between Worlds: Latinx Diasporas in Canada and Beyond is also coming shortly. This collection weaves together the voices of Latin American diasporas and the lived experiences of Latinx communities in Canada. From stories rooted in migration and memory to reflections that drift across borders, these works of fiction, memoir, poetry, and scholarship, trace paths of belonging, loss, and reinvention. They speak of homes left behind and new ones imagined, of identities shaped in motion and creativity born from displacement.
Origins of Día de Muertos
Día de Muertos o Día de los Muertos is one of Mexico’s most important celebrations, dating back more than 500 years! It represents the union of Pre-Hispanic and Catholic traditions and celebrates the temporary return of deceased loved ones, who cross Mictlán (the underworld in Aztec mythology) to rejoin their families. During this day, they share the food prepared for their return.
In Pre-Hispanic culture, the cult of death was central: bodies were wrapped in a petate (mat) while relatives held a feast to guide them on their journey to Mictlán. In Catholic tradition, November 1 is All Saints’ Day, commemorating children who have passed away, while November 2 is All Souls’ Day, dedicated to adults. During the colonial period, the Mexicas, Mixtecas, Texcocanos, Zapotecas, Tlaxcaltecas, Totonacas, and other Indigenous peoples adapted these rituals to the Catholic calendar, which also marked the end of the corn-growing cycle. And this is how the Día de los muertos was born.
While Día de Muertos is most widely recognized in Mexico, traditions of remembrance and ancestral celebration are also deeply rooted in countries such as Guatemala, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and many others—each with distinct rituals, symbols, and meanings.
Elements of the Altars
Although traditions vary across Mexico, decorating altars is central to all Día de Muertos celebrations. Common elements include marigold petals (cempoalxóchitl), candles, and food such as pan de muerto (bread of the dead). With origins in Pre-Hispanic times, this bread is now made with wheat flour, sugar, eggs, and yeast, and decorated with a figure of crossed bones sprinkled with sugar.
Other altar elements include copal (an aromatic resin whose smoke was considered food for celestial deities) and handcrafted objects. Many of these objects are also on display at the library and were purchased in local markets in Mexico DF. Want to know more? Scan the QR code to access bilingual descriptions online. It’s also a great opportunity to practice Spanish—or to get inspired to join a course in the Hispanic Studies program at McGill.
Latin American and Hispanic Heritage Month at McGill
Interested in exploring the richness and diversity of Hispanic communities and traditions? Come celebrate with us this October and November at McGill!
- October 3, 6:00-8:00 p.m.: Salsa workshop with Salseros (Shauna Roberts Dance Center).
- October 24, 5:30-8:30 p.m.: Panel discussion with Hispanic diplomats (Ernst & Young Building).
- October 29, 3:30–4:30 p.m.: Día de Muertos celebration with pan de muerto and hot chocolate, (680 Sherbrooke, Room 389).
- November 12, 4:00-6:00 p.m.: Screening of Le Coyote followed by a Q&A with the director (ARTS 150).
The hybrid altar exhibition will be on display until the end of October at McLennan Library. Don’t miss the chance to learn, celebrate, and connect with this inspiring and growing community in Canada.
