By Jared Sindt, Reporter
Day of the Dead is a celebration in Latino culture that finds families and friends gathered in prayer. The dead are made altars with beautiful art, lights, food, and different items to represent fire, water and earth.
Silvia Wells is the Deputy Director of the Latino Museum in Omaha. She loves to see the beauty that comes with Day of the Dead every year.
“It’s a beautiful sight,” Wells said. “It’s bright, colorful and said to be a feast for the eyes (for) the deceased people we’re honoring.”
The Museum is located at 25th and L streets and holds events for the community to celebrate Latino culture. They are currently hosting an exhibit for Day of the Dead that features Omaha’s largest ofrenda, the altar created for the dead’s’ celebration.
Alongside the ofrenda, the exhibit features art from artists throughout Omaha. The art has beautiful paintings, outlandish sculptures and antique exhibits that stand out to represent Latino culture.
Jose Carreno is the front desk worker for the Musuem, and he sees the value that Latino culture can bring to the Omaha community.
“It really brings families to come together and celebrate the day of the dead and just giving your respects to the people who have passed and the people who have brought you up to this point,” Carreno said.
To show their deceased respect, the altars are created with all kinds of different displays in mind. Flowers are placed around the altars, as well as different foods to represent life. All these different items play a role in respecting the deceased in Latino culture.
The celebration for Day of the Dead begins Nov. 1, but the museum is holding their exhibit beforehand to introduce newcomers to the celebration. Carreno hopes the exhibit will bring in younger patrons who will want to continue the tradition.
“I think it’s very important for young people to come and experience this because it has been going on for so long and it’s good to keep passing it down to younger generations,” Carreno said.
Day of the dead will have multiple events going on throughout the city to celebrate, such as a movie screening at UNO and art events anyone in the community can attend.
The exhibit will be on display until November 19 as celebration for Day of the Dead will take place on Nov. 1 and 2. Anyone wanting to explore Latino culture in more ways than just the Day of the Dead can visit the Latino Museum to see all the art and displays Latino culture in Omaha has to offer.
