INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Día de Muertos, or Day of The Dead, is a meaningful celebration in the Hispanic culture that honors the deceased while promoting community and empowerment.

Saturday’s Eiteljorg Museum celebration honors life and memory with meaningful displays commemorating loved ones through offerings.

“I have been here for a very long time at the museum,” said Alisa Nordholt-Dean, vice president of education and public programming at the Eiteljorg Museum. “So, seeing how this program has grown over the years is exciting. We’ve partnered with Arte Mexicano en Indiana and Nopal Cultural for about 10 years. Our initial program had about 500 people, which has grown exponentially.”

The celebration serves as a reminder of the strength found in the Circle City community, encouraging others to support one another and take pride in their shared heritage through vibrant displays, lively performances of folk dancing with Ballet Folklorico Mosaicos, and live music performance by an all-women band: Mariachi Sirenas.

“We saw over 5,000 last year, and at the previous count here a few hours ago, we were already at about 4,000,” Nordholt-Dean said. “So, we hope to break those numbers this year.”

The event included community partners, notably Mujeres Connectadas, which played a crucial role in organizing the Catrina Parade, which had over 60 elegantly dressed participants.

“Just the makeup took about two hours,” said Llona Reynolds, a participant in the Catrina Parade. “Everything else we already had was ready and done, but making the wings took me a long time. We had to get all the feathers and make a frame with a pulley system so it opened. My husband is a genius!”

The colorful procession gives a palpable sense of unity for participants like Reynolds, who said this extends beyond just a celebration. Día de Muertos serves as a powerful platform for community connection.

“It’s not just about the Day of The Dead,” Reynolds said. “So, it’s all empowering women. All of us help each other. All of us do everything for each other, like fix each other’s costumes. We support each other and carry around glue in your bustier!”