Topics
News and Events
Date November 2, 2024
Media Contact
Lynda Curtis
[email protected]
401-863-6183
All News

Photos: Providence’s North Burial Ground comes alive for Day of the Dead

Brown’s Haffenreffer Museum and Department of Anthropology partner with the city’s largest cemetery to welcome local families to honor their loved ones in a vibrant Dia de los Muertos celebration.

activity stations at the event
1 of 6

Providence’s annual Día de los Muertos celebration began in 2021. Photos by Nick Dentamaro/Brown University.

a community ofrenda
2 of 6

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday celebrated in Mexican and some other Latin American communities welcoming the spirits of ancestors, family and friends back each year on Nov. 1 and 2.

a community ofrenda
3 of 6

At the celebration, a community ofrenda, or altar, was featured, adorned with photos, letters, cards, candles, and personal tokens contributed by attendees.

Brown student group Mariachi de Brown performs
4 of 6

The Brown student group Mariachi de Brown elevated the festive spirit of the celebration with a performance of "Amor Eterno" ("Eternal Love") and other lively songs.

city cemetery director Annalisa Heppner hands out candles
5 of 6

City Cemetery Director Annalisa Heppner collaborated with Brown to host the Día de los Muertos celebration.

candle-lit procession
6 of 6

The celebration ended with a candle-lit procession around the cemetery.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — A shared sense of remembrance filled the air at Providence’s North Burial Ground on Saturday, Nov. 2, as members of the Providence and Brown communities gathered for this year’s Día de los Muertos celebration, honoring departed loved ones in a heartfelt blend of grief, joy and togetherness.

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday celebrated in Mexican and some other Latin American communities welcoming the spirits of ancestors, family and friends back each year on Nov. 1 and 2.

Providence’s annual Día de los Muertos celebration, led by North Burial Ground in partnership with Brown University’s Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology and Department of Anthropology, began in 2021. The free public event celebrates Rhode Island’s vibrant Hispanic and Latinx communities, creating new opportunities to showcase their unique histories, cultures and customs, said city cemetery director Annalisa Heppner.

"I started as the city cemetery director just after the first COVID surge, when many families couldn’t mourn traditionally due to gathering restrictions,” Heppner said. “To help meet that need, I wanted to bring a memorialization program to North Burial Ground. My mom’s family is from Chihuahua, Mexico, and we grew up celebrating a version of Día de los Muertos rooted in our Rarámuri heritage. I love sharing my culture, and I think Día de los Muertos is one of the best parts of Mexican culture. Even without the ritual aspects, taking the time to care for and talk about the people we’ve loved who have joined the ancestors is such a big part of living with grief and loss.”

The afternoon celebration at the city’s largest cemetery welcomed Providence-area residents with meaningful, family-friendly activities. At the heart of it all stood a community ofrenda, or altar, adorned with photos, letters, cards, candles and personal tokens contributed by attendees to honor their loved ones. Throughout the festivities, families crafted paper marigolds, colored and decorated traditional calaveras (Mexican sugar skulls) and explored books and stories explaining the holiday’s significance. A face painting station added to the fun with colorful sugar skull designs for kids and adults.

multiple stations for activities
1 of 9

The afternoon celebration at the city’s largest cemetery welcomed Providence-area residents with meaningful, family-friendly activities.

coloring at the stations
2 of 9

Families crafted paper marigolds, colored and decorated traditional calaveras (Mexican sugar skulls) and explored books and stories explaining the holiday’s significance.

face painting
3 of 9

A face painting station added to the fun with colorful sugar skull designs for kids and adults.

families with young children, teens, students attend the celebration
4 of 9

Approximately 150 Providence-area residents joined the celebration.

participants shared stories of loved ones
5 of 9

Throughout the event, local community members each shared personal stories and memories, adding a heartfelt spirit to the gathering.

candle-lit procession
6 of 9

As dusk approached, a candle-lit procession circled the cemetery.

candle-lit procession
7 of 9

Traditionally, candles are lit on altars and in cemeteries to guide the spirits of the departed.

candle-lit procession
8 of 9

As the procession circled, a stream of flickering lights illuminated North Burial Ground, the city's largest cemetery.

candle-lit procession
9 of 9

Among the attendees, many students from Brown and the Rhode Island School of Design joined the celebration, this year.

Approximately 150 people — including families with young children, teens, students from Brown and the Rhode Island School of Design, and local neighbors — joined the celebration.

Jessica Nelson, curatorial assistant at the Haffenreffer Museum, said the event continues to attract new participants each year. This year, Brown offered a free shuttle between the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center and the cemetery to encourage more Brown and RISD students to attend.

“We’re seeing an increasing response from both the Brown and Providence communities as this celebration becomes a cherished tradition at North Burial Ground,” Nelson said. “We’re excited to welcome even more in the years to come.” community altar with cards and letters

Providence resident Tonay Gooday-Ervin said they joined the celebration to honor family traditions and reconnect with memories of loved ones.

"My mom's side of the family is Cuban, and we always celebrated Day of the Dead because she believed it was important to keep our memories of loved ones and ancestors close,” Gooday-Ervin said. “Sharing family stories, recipes and traditions was such a big part of my life growing up — and it still is. I wanted to come here to remember all my loved ones, and it’s really nice to share that experience with my friends."

Throughout the event, community members each shared personal stories and memories, adding a heartfelt spirit to the gathering. This year, Chicanos Car Club Rhode Island displayed mini ofrendas in their car trunks — each a small tribute to departed family members. Music by Ashley Soto, a Guatemalan and Mexican heritage singer, and Brown student group Mariachi de Brown set a festive yet reflective tone. As dusk approached, a candle-lit procession circled the cemetery, creating a peaceful, reverent end to the evening.

Jordi Rivera, a postdoctoral research associate in Brown’s Department of Anthropology who is Mexican-American, said Día de los Muertos at its core is a holiday rooted in community, family and a celebration of loved ones. By helping to organize local festivities, Brown and North Burial Ground are creating spaces that recognize and highlight the diverse Latinx cultures in Providence and Rhode Island.

"Providence has a significant Latino population, and it’s important for those of us at Brown to learn from and engage meaningfully with the Providence and Rhode Island communities,” Rivera said. “While Brown students and other members of the campus community may be here temporarily, this city and community is always here — it's important for us to support and uplift events, spaces and community-centered efforts in Providence.”

 

Tags
Brown and Providence

Related news: