Leticia Seitz shows visiting community members various elements of a Dia de los Muertos altar she built, during a Dia de los Muertos celebration on Thursday at the International Institute of Metropolitan St. Louis in Tower Grove East.
Burning incense sat at the foot of three altars Thursday in the International Institute’s Hall of Nations, each covered with photos of people.
The altars were the centerpiece of this Día de los Muertos celebration. Day of the Dead is a holiday popular in Mexico when people honor loved ones who have died. It is typically celebrated between Oct. 28 and Nov. 2.
The mood was respectful but not solemn. Amid the photos were ofrendas, or offerings to the spirits. Electric candles sat near yellow marigolds, toy skulls and favorite foods of the departed, including a plate of tamales and two bottles of Coca-Cola.
On the floor nearby, figurines of Mexican wrestlers stood on a toy wrestling ring. Some of the women in attendance wore colorful dresses, with arm and leg coverings that gave the appearance of a skeleton’s limbs.
“Some people are scared because we use a lot of skeletons,” said artist Leticia Seitz, who organized the event and hopes it will become an annual tradition at the International Institute. “But the Mexicans, we have an intimate relationship with the dead. Obviously it’s sad because we remember people who have parted already. But someday we’re going to be on the altar, too. So we show respect, but we have fun with it.”
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
LEFT: Painted skulls adorn Leticia Seitz’s dress, worn during a Dia de los Muertos celebration on Thursday at the International Institute in Tower Grove East. RIGHT: At top right, a picture of Guadalupe Gonzalez Palomino, the father of Leticia Seitz, is the center point of a public altar.
The event was the International Institute’s first Day of the Dead observance. It’s one of the first efforts in an initiative the institute launched last month to better connect with Latino communities.
The organization’s leaders want to attract to St. Louis some of the 330,000 immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua whose legal status the Biden administration affirmed in June.
“We felt that it made sense for us, trying to engage the Latino audience, and to embrace the Latino culture in every sense of the word,” said International Institute President and CEO Arrey Obenson. “And with this being something that is really characteristic of Mexican and Latino culture, we thought that we should host it here as a demonstration of our desire to really embrace multiculturalism.”
The event included a traditional dance and a performance by musician Maria Saenz, who played acoustic guitar and sang in Spanish and English. Attendees snacked on candy and sipped water and soda.
The chance to celebrate the holiday with other Mexican Americans and an authentic altar was a big attraction for Saenz.
“I live in O’Fallon, but I had to beat the traffic and come out here and be a part of it,” she said. “It’s camaraderie, to share in each other’s pain of those we’ve lost and to share in the joy of celebrating that they existed.”
See photos below from the International Institute's program and a related event held by the Missouri History Museum by photojournalist Tristen Rouse:
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
At bottom left, Carisa Hale, 19, of Ferguson, leads a Dia de Los Muertos parade on Saturday in Forest Park. Hale was asked to attend and help lead the parade, in part because she knows several of the dancers directly behind her.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Carmen Amezcua, left, and Mirthala Chantaca help lead a Dia de los Muertos parade on Saturday in Forest Park.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Members of the St. Louis region’s Latino community walk in a Dia de los Muertos parade on Saturday in Forest Park. The event was organized through the Missouri History Museum, as a part of its weekend of events honoring the holiday.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Felix Luna, his face painted to resemble a skull for Dia de los Muertos, holds a banner recognizing Santo Domingo on Saturday outside the Missouri History Museum. Santo Domingo, or Saint Dominic, was the the founder of the Dominican Order and is the patron saint of astronomers and natural scientists.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Isabella Bender, 17, of O’Fallon, Mo., walks in a Dia de los Muertos parade on Saturday in Forest Park. “My grandma runs all this,” Bender said, referring to Hispanic Festival, Inc., which helped organize the event. “I’ve been doing this as long as I can remember, ever since they started doing this.”
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Maria Yaksic, left, and Lizett Mata walk in a Dia de los Muertos parade on Saturday in Forest Park. The event was one of several organized through the Missouri History Museum to honor the holiday, along with dance performances and public altars to honor deceased loved ones. “It’s a good way to portray our culture,” Yaksic said.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Kelly Mondragon, 7, dances during a Dia de los Muertos parade on Saturday in Forest Park.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Guille Quiroz, lower left, helps lead a Dia de los Muertos parade on Saturday in Forest Park. Quiroz has been dancing with Ballet Ollin, a dance group that performed ahead of the parade, for five years.
Tristen Rouse
/
St. Louis Public Radio
A crowd gathers around dance group Ballet Ollin, performing before they lead a Dia de los Muertos parade on Saturday in Forest Park. The parade was preceded by a full day of events and live entertainment, held on the lawn of the museum in honor of the holiday.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
A crowd gathers around dance group Ballet Ollin, performing before they lead a Dia de los Muertos parade on Saturday in Forest Park.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Guille Quiroz dances ahead of a Dia de los Muertos parade on Saturday in Forest Park.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
From left, Guille Quiroz, Mirthala Chantaca and Reina Garcia Baxan, prop up a banner honoring Santo Domingo on Saturday outside the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis. Santo Domingo, or Saint Dominic, was the the founder of the Dominican Order and is the patron saint of astronomers and natural scientists.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Guille Quiroz takes a break from leading the parade to get help changing her shoes on Saturday in Forest Park.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Maria Saenz sings during a Dia de los Muertos celebration on Thursday at the International Institute.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Decorative miniature coffins adorned with skulls are leaned against a speaker's podium during a Dia de los Muertos celebration on Thursday at the International Institute.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
A picture of Guadalupe Gonzalez Palomino, the father of Leticia Seitz, is the center point of a public altar, built by Seitz for a Dia de los Muertos celebration on Thursday at the International Institute.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Esperanza Rodrigues dances during a Dia de los Muertos celebration on Thursday at the International Institute.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Esperanza Rodriguez lights incense in front of a Dia de los Muertos altar on Thursday at the International Institute.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Esperanza Rodriguez lights incense in front of a Dia de los Muertos altar on Thursday at the International Institute.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
A painted skull adorns a Dia de los Muertos altar on Thursday at the International Institute in Tower Grove East.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Reina Garcia Baxan dances during a Dia de los Muertos celebration on Thursday at the International Institute.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Felix Luna, left, and Reina Garcia Baxan dance in front of a public altar during a Dia de los Muertos celebration on Thursday at the International Institute.
Tristen Rouse
/
St. Louis Public Radio
Reina Garcia Baxan kneels during a dance, part of a Dia de los Muertos celebration on Thursday at the International Institute.
Tristen Rouse
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St. Louis Public Radio
Leticia Seitz, right, speaks to Rick and Marta Gonzales during a Dia de los Muertos celebration on Thursday at the International Institute.
