Altars are at the heart of Cheekwood’s Dia de los Muertos celebration

Music, dance performances and delicious dishes are all highlights of Cheekwood Garden’s annual Dia de los Muertos celebration. But the altars, or ofrenda — laden with food, flowers and photos of ancestors — are the real heart of the holiday, according to Arcelia Vazquez, who grew up in Mexico City and has helped run this event for nearly 20 years. She explained that these altars bring together the living and the dead.

“The altar is a direct connection,” she explained, “Even if I didn’t meet some of my ancestors, when it is that time, other people start talking about them and you ask questions like ‘What is the food they like?’ And even if you didn’t see any picture of them, you start making an idea how this person was.”

Vazquez explained that each element of the altar carries a specific significance. All four elements are represented: clay containers of food (earth), candles (fire), cups of water (this one’s obvious) and papel picado, colorful paper banners with perforated deigns that flutter in the wind (air). There’s plenty of regional variation, but other mainstays include salt for purification and marigolds, whose bright color and sweet fragrance help guide spirits to their living family.

Another thing: Dia de los Muertos is not “Mexican Halloween.” Instead, Vazquez says it’s more like Thanksgiving.

“You have special guests, and you always have special food for them. Well, for us, it’s exactly the same, but our guests are our ancestors,” she said.

Vazquez, who has been teaching Spanish at the University School of Nashville for more than 25 years, says Cheekwood’s annual event is particularly special to her because it gives the next generation of Nashville’s Mexican community an opportunity to connect with their culture, and gives everyone else a chance to learn about a tradition that she loves dearly. Families and school groups will often travel from neighboring states like Kentucky to join in on the fun.

“I think that’s what really moves me every year, and especially this year. That sense that everybody will think we can really live in peace and we can really learn from each other and know that we can have this diverse community.”

This year, organizers told Vazquez they they were concerned that the celebration could be targeted by ICE. She said she’s concerned, too, but doesn’t think the threat of immigration enforcement will keep many people at home: tickets for this year’s celebration have sold out.

“People are scared, but at the same time they have to live their lives. People are resilient. They will try to be strong,” she said.