The Robinson Library is featuring a Day of the Dead altar during November. 

The display, set up by Aliste along and Spanish teacher Maria-Paz Campos, commemorates loved ones who have passed away. Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, was celebrated on Nov. 1 and is very popular in the United States and Mexico. 

“In Mexico and in some places in Central America where they have the Aztec and Mayan influence in their culture, they tend to do this (celebrate Day of the Dead),” said Aliste. “In Mexico, it’s huge.” 

Aliste is from Chile, where Día de los Muertos is celebrated on a much smaller scale. The holiday has become a lot more popular among Latin Americans. 

Traditionally, families decorate altars with items that remind them of their dead loved ones. For Aliste, the display contains paraphernalia representing Latin American culture, but it is general enough that it welcomes all SLUH students to pray and remember their loved ones. 

“This year particularly, I don’t have anything that is personal, except the only thing I put that represented my dad was a dog because he loved animals,” said Aliste. 

This year, Aliste’s Day of the Dead display contains colorful banners, skeleton statues, flowers, and candles. 

“Over the years I’ve collected so many pieces, some actually from Mexico,” said Aliste. 

In the past, Aliste has added more decorations to the display, but she wanted to downsize this year in order to keep it simple in the bustle and confusion of the pandemic. She is, however, inviting students to add memories of their deceased loved ones. 

“They (the students) can put someone’s name, or bring a picture of the family member, or at least a prayer,” said Aliste. 

Aliste’s display is in the library so that it can be admired by students. In the past, it has been in her classroom, but she now shares a classroom with other teachers and worries about her decorations being damaged. She chose not to put it in the chapel because Masses have been held elsewhere. 

“I used to decorate my room when I used to not teach with anybody else,” Aliste said. “We would have the Open House, and this would be one of the rooms that would be open to show.” 

The display will be up through the month of November to provide spiritual consolation in this tough year as well as add beautiful color to the library.