FRESNO, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – Every year in November many people celebrate Día de Muertos or Day of the Dead.
The tradition dates back over 3,000 years and can be traced to the Aztecs and other Indigenous groups.
“It’s a celebration of the dead. We celebrate our family members who have passed on. It’s a date that, of course, we remember them every day, but on this special day, we put a special tribute for them, and we put out their favorite foods, their favorite snacks. We have a little altar, we put their flowers, and it’s just a remembrance day for our family members who have passed,” said Leslie Rivera, who celebrates every year.
Creating an ofrenda or an altar dedicated to their loved ones is a main part of the celebration, and on it, people must have Cempasúchil’ or Marigolds.
Rogelio Sierra has been growing marigolds for the last eight years. At first, he started growing them in his backyard but now he grows them on 2 acres of land.
“We started with only about 300 marigolds and last year we grew 60,000 and this year 70,000 and we hope to keep on growing from here,” said Sierra.