by Morinville News Staff
Robert E. Wanner, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, will host the inaugural Day of the Dead celebration at the Alberta Legislature on at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Legislature rotunda.
The province said Tuesday morning that Day of the Dead festivities date back thousands of years to the Aztecs, who believed that the deceased preferred to be celebrated rather than mourned.
“Day of the Dead transforms one of life’s most difficult realities, death, into a celebration of life. Day of the Dead provides an opportunity for us to remember and honour our loved ones who’ve passed,” Wanner said. “I am so pleased that Alberta’s Latin community has chosen to share this important and vibrant cultural experience with the Legislative Assembly.”
Celebrations historically run from October 31 to November 2, coinciding with the Catholic holidays All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day. The holiday is regularly observed throughout Mexico, Italy, Spain, South America, the Philippines and much of the United States.
