BILLINGS — Colorful altars filled with photographs, favorite foods, and personal keepsakes at North Park on Sunday as Billings students invited the community to celebrate Día de los Muertos and learn about the traditions behind the Mexican holiday.
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Members of Raza Unida, a Hispanic cultural club through Billings Public Schools, hosted their third annual Día de los Muertos celebration, bringing families and community members together to honor loved ones who have died while sharing one of Mexico's most meaningful cultural traditions.
Related: Billings students celebrate Día de los Muertos while building pride in Hispanic heritage
At the center of the celebration were ofrendas, or altars, created to welcome the spirits of loved ones back to the world of the living. For West High School junior and Raza Unida President Ysabelle Ruiz, the altars are a way to remember family members, friends, and even pets.
"A lot of people believe that there's a land of the dead and a land of the living, and the spirits of the dead take this really long journey to the living," Ruiz said.
Families decorate ofrendas with photographs, candles, flowers, favorite foods, and other personal belongings. Each item has meaning and reflects the personality and memories of the person being honored.
Families leave food and drinks as a way to welcome visiting spirits, while photographs help guide them back to their families.
"We put out food that they would have liked, like these chips and jerky, and we put out drinks for them and candy. So that when they come back, they feel welcomed," Ruiz said. "It's really sweet just to see how much people care for everyone that they've lost.”
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is typically celebrated Nov. 1 and 2. Rather than viewing death as a final separation, the holiday centers on remembering loved ones and celebrating the connection that remains after their passing.
For Ruiz, this year's ofrenda includes several new additions. Her grandmother and two of her cats died this year, and she added their photographs and favorite treats to the altar.
"Unfortunately, my abuelita died this year," Ruiz said. "I have her up with my abuelito so that she can be with her lover again ... I've added a lot more candy because my abuelita had a huge sweet tooth."
No two ofrendas are exactly alike. Each is personalized to the people being remembered and the things they enjoyed in life. Monarae Nava said she began creating an ofrenda after her father died. She includes his favorite meal as a way to welcome him back.
"My father died eight years ago, is when I started," Nava said. "He was my best friend, but everyone goes."
The tradition can bring both happiness and grief, Nava said.
"Sometimes I'm like really OK, and I can do it, and I can have fun putting it up. Sometimes I cry. It's rough," she said.
Related: Día de los Muertos comes alive in Billings
The event also featured traditional Mexican music from Mariachis de Corazón, along with opportunities for families to participate in the celebration and learn about the holiday.
“(Día de Los Muertos) dates back, from what I heard, 300 BC, back in the Aztec Empire,” said member Rico Garza. “It's always to remember the loved ones that have passed away and just kind of celebrate their lives.”
Raza Unida, founded by Alyssia Nava, has about 20 members and works to share Hispanic culture through community events and outreach.
For Ruiz, sharing those traditions is about more than educating people about a holiday. It's also an opportunity to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions about the Hispanic community.
She said she and other Hispanic students have experienced discrimination, including racial slurs and bullying.
“I had one teacher tell me that the only thing I would do in life is be a drug dealer because I was Hispanic," said Ruiz. "I also had another teacher tell one of my Hispanic native friends that he liked how her people got colonized.”
Those experiences have strengthened her commitment to creating opportunities for people to learn about Hispanic culture and the contributions it brings to the Billings community.
Ruiz said she has already seen signs that those efforts can make a difference. She recalled a friend whose classmate had repeatedly treated her poorly because she was Hispanic. After attending one of Raza Unida's events and seeing the club's outreach online, the classmate apologized.
"I do think that people can change and that hatred doesn't have to continue existing within our community," Ruiz said.
Nava said she has also noticed growing interest in cultural events throughout Billings, including Día de los Muertos celebrations.
"It has gotten way bigger, I'd say, within the last 10 years," Nava said. "I love how we're getting bigger in culture."
For Ruiz, the hope is that events like Sunday's celebration give people a chance to look beyond stereotypes, experience traditions firsthand, and grow understanding.
"Hispanic people are here, and we want to add joy and unity to this, to the community of Billings, Montana," Ruiz said. "I don't think that we have to live in hatred or vitriol of each other. If we come together, we can become a lot stronger."
