Local artist Rolando Mancera is headlining a workshop tonight to help Grand Valley State University students build an altar in celebration of the Day of the Dead. The event will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the atrium of the Mary Idema Pew Library.

The Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, is a Mexican holiday celebrated around the world in which the souls of the deceased are remembered and celebrated by family and friends.

A typical altar for the Day of the Dead includes objects, pictures and elaborate decorations intended to commemorate the life of the deceased.

It is encouraged that students place their own objects on the altar if they wish to express themselves this way. Anyone is allowed to join in on the workshop.

Mancera is a muralist and sculptor whose work has been featured in ArtPrize, among other places. He was invited to host the event after Zulema Moret, a GVSU Spanish professor, took an interest in his work. This will be Mancera’s fourth year presenting the Day of the Dead altar.

“I like to explain the meaning of the Day of the Dead before constructing the altar with the students,” he said. “The Day of the Dead is a really old tradition that goes back even before the Spanish came to America. I believe that many people only know the basics of the holiday. Someone needs to share this history with the community.”

Mancera believes it’s important people know the difference between Halloween and the Day of the Dead.

“I disagree with people who compare the two holidays,” he said. “Halloween is a relatively new tradition that has become very commercialized. The Day of the Dead is an old tradition rooted in culture. A lot of people try to mix them up to make money out of it. It’s an easy mistake to confuse the two.”

GVSU Spanish professor Mayra Fortes has been a part of the organizing committee for the event for several years now. Fortes says she hopes the event will be informative to those who don’t know what Day of the Dead is.

“Day of the Dead and Halloween are very different from each other,” Fortes said. “The Day of the Dead is meant to honor the lives of those who left us, and this honoring is materialized in altars. There are no people wearing costumes or children asking for candy. It is a more spiritual celebration.”

According to Fortes, a traditional altar has seven levels which symbolize the necessary steps to go to heaven and rest in peace.

“In the different levels, various objects and memorabilia are placed to help the soul reach heaven,” Fortes said. “In the last level, there is an arch and a cross that symbolize the passage to heaven.”

Fliers describing the altar and its significance will be handed out as people pass by.

GVSU Spanish professor Jose Lara attended the event for the first time two years ago. Lara described the event as both educational and hands on.

“The university is heading in a more global perspectives direction,” Lara said. “Part of the reason for this event happening is to expose students and faculty to other cultural events. They’ll learn about it, but it will also help them draw connections back to their own culture.”

Lara’s first experience with building an altar happened two years ago at the same Day of the Dead event.

“As a faculty member who has studied and read about the holiday, there is nothing like being a direct participant,” Lara said. “I think this will be an enriching experience for students, especially for those who may not be aware of what Day of the Dead is.”

The altar will stay in the library for one week before being taken back down.

For more information, GVSU Area Studies can be contacted at (616)-331-8110.