Commemorating the lives of their ancestors, several Hispanic and Mexican-American ISU students will celebrate the Day of the Dead today.

“The Day of the Dead is an old event with its roots in Pre-Columbian Latin America,” said Jerry Garcia, assistant professor of history and Latino studies, said.

The celebration’s origins stem back to when the Spanish conquered the Aztec empire in Mexico. The Mexicans combined the Catholic feast of All Soul’s Day, a day to remember the dead through prayer, with ancient Native American rituals and beliefs about death.

The Mexican people place items such as mementos, favorite foods or drinks on altars to invite their ancestors back to visit with the living and to celebrate the lives of the deceased, Garcia said.

“It is in traditional Latino culture to construct an altar to invite the dead to visit among the living,” Garcia said.

There will be an altar on display in the Memorial Union near the Harold Bride Lounge on the second floor for anyone to bring mementos or other items to remember the dead.

“It is believed the spirits will go away weeping if nothing is offered to them,” he said.

The celebration will begin at noon near the Luis Jimenez statue “Cruzando La Frontera (Boarder Crossing),” which is close to LeBaron Hall. The statue represents the migration of Mexicans to the United States said Matthew Delay, Brunnier Gallery curator.

Garcia will speak about the history of the Mexican migration to the United States. The celebration begins with short presentations, music and pan de los muertos (bread of the dead).

Pan de los muertos is a traditional bread made in the shape of skeletons for Day of the Dead.

“Everyone is welcome to come learn and celebrate Day of the Dead,” Delay said. “Everyone is invited to remember people from the past in a positive way and celebrating their memory with us.”

“The celebration is about viewing death in a different way. It is when we celebrate the lives of relatives and ancestors,” Garcia added.

The traditional people of Latin America celebrate death as moving on from the world of the living to a better place..

“The Day of the Dead emphasizes death as part of the cycle of life,” Garcia said.

From 12:45 p.m. to 1 p.m. groups will gather at the altar site at the Memorial Union. Casa Hispanica, ISU Spanish club and the Mexican-American Young Achievers are some of the organizations participating in the celebration.