Noel Crowder, MATC Environmental Health and Water Quality student, poses at the model of a typical altar constructed by Latin American cultures at the Mequon campus on Oct. 31. The Day of the Dead is a celebration that originated with the Aztecs several thousand years ago. It is a time for remembering loved ones who have died. The altar, or ofrenda in Spanish, is constructed in homes, churches and cemeteries. The ofrenda, meaning “offering,” is composed of several symbolic elements: sugar skulls symbolize death that is always present, candles symbolize mourning, photographs of the departed and flowers are also traditional elements.