WT celebrates Día de los Muertos with annual ofrenda display at PPHM
West Texas A&M University is helping individuals and families celebrate the lives of lost loved ones with its annual Día de los Muertos ofrenda display, which will be available for public viewing Nov. 1 through Nov. 4 in the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum.
As a part of the university's annual celebration, students, faculty and staff sign up to display an ofrenda, or memorial offering, honoring the lives and memory of loved ones. Commonly the display, hosted by WT’s Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences, includes anywhere from 80 to 100 displays, which will be judged for prizes.
Dr. Eddie Henderson, WTAMU Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences dean, said in a news release: “Día de los Muertos is a time to expand our cultural knowledge and horizons and remember loved ones who have passed on before us. ... It is a time to honor traditions and even create new ones.”
Traditionally, the ofrenda displays include sugar skulls, marigolds and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed, among other items that are associated with the individual's memory.
WTAMU student Meredith Hesseltine spoke about her display created as part of a class project honoring Alexander Graham Bell, known best for his creation of the telephone.
"One thing that I did not realize about the ofrendas is how in depth they are, not only in their meaning but also how much information is shared so that they person can be remembered, and how much effort it takes to create an ofrenda," Hessletine said.
"Something that is really dear to me that I learned while creating his ofrenda, and one of the reasons we choose him is is that he has dyslexia, and so do I, so not only was that something I could connect with, but also the fact that he did not let his dyslexia deter him from creating something that we all now use every day," Hessletine added.
Dr. Beth Garcia, Terry B. Rogers College of Education and Social Sciences assistant dean and Sylvia Nugent Professor of Education, spoke about the importance of the ofrendas in the Hispanic community and the college's expression of inclusion and desire to educate about other cultures.
"We display the ofrendas every year as a celebration of life to remember those that have passed on before us. In the Hispanic culture, they say we have three deaths; the first death is when your heart stops beating. The second is when they put you in the ground, and the third and most saddest death of all is when you are forgotten. So, we try to fight against that third death by remembering our loved ones and sharing the cultural celebration and heritage of Día de los Muertos," Garcia said.
The ofrendas this year include not only personal displays of loved ones, but also public figures, such as the recently deceased Queen Elizabeth II and those lost during the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.
The ofrendas will be on display inside the PPHM from Nov. 1 to Nov. 4 during museum hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
While the ofrendas are on view, area schools will send classes for tours and art activities. In 2021, more than 1,600 students experienced the display. Region 16 school districts may still register for tours, which will be conducted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily throughout the duration of the display. Space is limited; schools should email egarcia@wtamu.edu to register. Museum admission for those classes is paid for by the College of Education and Social Sciences.
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: WTAMU remembers lost loved ones with annual ofrenda display at PPHM
