Dubois County Museum to Host First Dia de Muertos in Dubois County

By Kris Norton

Jasper – The Dubois County Museum is set to host the first ever, public, Dia de Muertos celebration in Dubois County on November 1st from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Dia de Muertos, Day of the Dead, is a holiday – and opportunity – to celebrate the lives of those we have lost, says Rossina Sandoval Monsivais, Director of Community Engagement at Southwest Dubois School Corporation.

“This is a celebration, Dia de Muertos, it’s kind of weird to start thinking of grief and death in a fun and celebratory way, but this is really what we do,” Monsivais said. “This is grief with a twist – you get to enjoy it, you get to enjoy the life of the person you are celebrating, that you are honoring. It’s a coping skill, even, a lot of people use Dia de Muertos to cleanse their soul, to say the words that they were not able to say when they were leaving.”

Funerals and remembrances might typically evoke somber thoughts, formal all-black attire, but the Dia de Muertos is visibly different. Tables and altars to honor the dead are packed with vibrant colors.

In a focal point is primary altar, built for the occasion by Dennis Tedrow, Admissions Counselor and Community Engagement Specialist at Vincennes University-Jasper Campus.

“The base that I built, at its width is about seven feet, so it’s a pretty big altar,” Tedrow said. “Six steps on it right now and each on one of them we’ve got different kinds of assortments or art, fruit, flowers, pictures of our deceased - is the main focus point of it. That’s really where we honor the past.”

Adorning the altar is a collection of candles, mementos, and picture frames – open for all, says Monsivais.

“This is an altar that we built for the community, for Dubois County, for all – for all colors, for all races, and all religions,” Monsivais said. “We have the frames, we have the space, please come and share with us your people.”

This is a county-wide celebration for anyone wishing to mourn their loved ones – no matter their race – says Tedrow.

“One of the unfortunate things about losing someone is we don’t always have someone to mourn with or someone to help support us through that,” Tedrow said. “This day isn’t just for the Hispanic community, it is for everybody that has had a loved one pass on that they just want to hold a light to.”

The county’s first Dia de Muertos event will feature a bi-lingual traditions and myths speech from University of Southern Indiana professor Manuel Apodaca and salsa dance lessons.

Registration for the event is not mandatory, though an RSVP link can be found at bit.ly/DiadeMuertosDuboisCo.