I always knew about it and had a vague understanding that it is not a sad day, rather, it is a day to celebrate the lives of loved ones that have passed. Something about this year, whether it is my age, finally living on my own, the racial and cultural tensions in this country, or maybe even just the extra sense of time that has come with having less plans outside of work due to COVID, has left me wanting to connect with my heritage. Whatever the reason, this year I have felt a strong desire to celebrate Dia de los Muertos in my new home.

I have felt very isolated from my heritage in the past, specifically when living in Idaho and when taking part in programs that did not have many others that were latinx. It was also something that I personally didn’t feel connected with. I always thought I wasn’t Mexican enough. I don’t look Mexican, at least as far as what I thought a Mexican SHOULD look like (I now know there is no one way to look Mexican). I was raised by a white father and Guatemalan mother, I don’t speak Spanish, and I have lived my life enjoying the many privileges that came with living in an upper middle-class home in Portland Oregon.

This year, I felt inspired to lean into my culture and heritage and learn more. I am Mexican. Period. That is enough; I am enough. And my celebration of that can look how I want! Which has been very exciting. I called my mother to ask her details about how to set up my Ofrenda (offering), I started listening to ranchero y banda musica, and I hunted down una tienda Mexicana (Mexican store) just down the street! The only one in Anchorage, and it is incredible.

Fresh tamales and Jarrito from la tienda

So, all this to say, that I have set up my ofrenda and every morning that I wake up and see it in my dining room and light a candle, it brings a lot of joy to my life. While I may not have a huge celebration with friends and family on Dia de los Innocentes (a day to celebrate the lives of children who have passed) or Dia de los Muertos, I know that my loved ones are with me, and will be with me on Dia de los Muertos. My family is in Oregon, so they will not physically be here with me either, but I am celebrating how it feels right for me. My ofrenda has lots of colors, veladoras (prayer candles), tissue paper flowers, the essential glass of water (to quench the spirits thirst after their long journey) and will soon have pan de muerto. I have been able to learn so much about the important aspects to an ofrenda while also exploring how to be creative and make it my own!

I recently started baking bread after being gifted a sourdough starter for my birthday. The bread craze of quarantine finally caught up to me, I guess! And because I now know how to make a great loaf of sourdough, I will be making my own Pan de Muerto for my ofrenda. It may not be the traditional bread that people have on their ofrendas, but it will be homemade and made with love, so all the better. There are other aspects of my ofrenda that are not traditional; because I live in Alaska, I figured it may be difficult to find marigolds, but I was able to make a lot of beautiful flowers from tissue paper. So, I have a beautiful spread of orange, yellow, and red flowers as well as some creative use of fall leaves for more of an orange pop. I have truly made it my own. I did struggle to find calaveras (decorated skulls/sugar skulls), so I bought a cheap skull from the Halloween decorations at the grocery store and decorated it myself, with sharpie.

My ofrenda

The opportunity to be a resource assistant with the US Forest Service and Hispanic Access foundation through the MANO project has been an incredible experience to live in a place I love (Alaska), doing work that I ADORE, and likely has also contributed to my comfort and excitement about celebrating my heritage. Even though I am still learning, and I have many years of traditions to learn and build in the future, I am thrilled that this first ofrenda and my first-time celebrating is in Alaska. The cold has settled in here and winter is already showing up, so the pop of color and brightness on my dining room table is very welcome.

Agency: U.S Forest Service

Program: Resource Assistant Program (RAP)

Location: Anchorage Regional Office