Waco honors the lives of deceased loved ones on Dia de los Muertos

WACO, Texas (KXXV) – Dia de los Muertos is a Mexican holiday celebrated around the world to honor the lives of deceased loved ones.

• The festivities in Waco include a traveling ofrenda and parade
• An ofrenda is an altar or offering for those who have died
• For some, this holiday shows that while grief can be lonely, we are not alone when we experience loss

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“The personal meaning for me is primarily the reflection.”

Rocio Ramirez Landoll says she honors her father, whom she lost four years ago.

“When he passed away, he gave me a big lesson,” Rocio said. ‘Because we live with nothing, but now I remember it with the photos in the ofrenda and I say: thank you. Thank you for giving me my life.”

Every year since then, she celebrates his memory on Dia de los Muertos by bringing his photo and favorite treats to Waco’s ofrenda. Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday celebrated around the world to honor the lives of deceased loved ones.

If you take a trip to downtown East Waco, you’ll see the traveling offerings covered in photos of friends and family of all ages and backgrounds.

“I am very happy to share this tradition with my community and they know more about my culture,” Rocio said. “Because I think if we know each other different cultures, we have more respect for the people.”

Doreen Ravenscroft is originally from England, but every year she honors her late husband during the traveling ofrenda. She says this holiday has shown her that grief can be lonely, but that we are not alone when we experience loss.

Our community’s year of Monarch Day of the Dead celebrations included a parade, live music and other activities. The monarch butterfly symbolizes the ancestors who visit during the holidays, as monarchs are known for their migration every year before winter.

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