In México, the end of October isn’t about trick-or-treating and fun Halloween costumes, but instead a time of family, remembrance, and celebration. This is a holiday called Día de Los Muertos which translates to Day of The Dead. During this time, families gather together to set up ofrendas, or altars to honor the dead. It is believed that the spirits of their loved ones are able to cross over into the “land of the living” and celebrate with them.
Kyle England, a senior at Lowellville said, “The most interesting thing I learned about Day of the Dead is how in Mexican culture they actually celebrate death as a continuation of life, instead of being sad thinking that their loved one’s life is over.”
Día de Muertos, a holiday dated all the way back to the 1500’s, was introduced by the early Spanish conquerors in Mexico. According to History.com, this also originates from the Aztecs who saw death not as an ending, but as an ever-present part of life, and celebration. It is celebrated on both the first and second of November, the first is to celebrate children and the second is for adults.
It is thought that during this brief period where the border between the spirit world and our world disappears the souls of the dead are able to feast, dance, sing, and celebrate with their loved ones. Due to this, the ofrendas set up in homes can be found filled with the favorite foods, drinks, items, and pictures of people’s ancestors. Other items dispersed around these ofrendas are velas or candles, calaveras de azúcar also known as sugar skulls, and pan de muerto which is a common bread dessert found for this holiday. At Lowellville High School, the Spanish Club participates in their own celebrations by setting up their own ofrenda in the classroom.
Spanish teacher Mrs.Walski says, “Although I’ve taught about Día de Muertos since I started teaching in 2000, I’ve been adding and sometimes changing activities each year to keep them fresh and current and as technology allows us to experience and learn more about the world around us. Two of the longest traditions we have had here in Spanish class are the memorial collages that students make and the class ofrenda. Traditionally, some Mexican families build an ofrenda in their home to honor and welcome the spirits of loved ones into their homes for Día de Muertos.”
Mrs. Walksi has created an ofrenda in her classroom since 2010. Prior to the holiday she has the students choose one person that they know personally or someone famous that has passed away in the past year that they would like to honor with a memorial collage project. Her students write about them in Spanish, include a photo of them and include traditional Día de Muertos symbols in their collages. Mrs. Walski hopes that the “students may find comfort in remembering their loved ones and idols during this holiday through creating their memorial collage and seeing them incorporated into the class ofrenda.”
This year in the Spanish club, the students created their very own “sugar skull” magnets made from clay. They were able to decorate their skulls with things such as sequins, beads, and markers. To top it off, they added glitter to them to give it a “sugary” appearance like what you would see in a traditional sugar skull.
Cheyenne Bott, a junior at Lowellville says,”I have been in a Spanish club for two years, I preferred to make the magnets because it felt more involved. My favorite part of making the sugar skulls was getting to see what everyone else made.”
First year Spanish club member, Anthony Tuscano says,”My favorite part of our sugar skull activity was how we could express ourselves onto the skull and create whatever we imagined.”
Kyle England, who has been in the Spanish club for two years says he really enjoyed setting up our class ofrenda because he “isn’t a big fan of arts and crafts” so it was more fun for him to decorate as opposed to making a sugar skull magnet like we did this year.
A common misconception about Día de Los Muertos is that it is simply the Mexican version of Halloween. Although some similarities of the two include dressing up in costumes and hosting parties or parades, the two are not entirely the same. Day of the Dead is a celebration of life and a way to honor your loved ones who are no longer with us. It’s a holiday where you can teach the younger generations of their ancestors and show them the importance of their family.
Many Disney lovers can easily recognize Día de Los Muertos due to the 2017 film, Coco. In this movie we follow the protagonist, Miguel, who accidentally crosses the border between the Land of the Living and Land of the Dead. Miguel is sent on a wild goose chase in search of his Great-Great Grandfather so he can receive his blessing to return home. This movie shows themes of family, love, betrayal, and honor and is an excellent representation of the real message behind this holiday.
Spanish teacher Mrs.Walski says, “I feel that Coco did a nice job representing Día de Muertos and another movie, The Book of Life, does as well. Both films are exciting and beautifully animated and may be, for some, the first time they have heard of such a holiday. Before Spanish class, many of my students recognized Día de Muertos from the movie Coco. I feel that these films are wonderful introductions to the holiday but I encourage anyone who would like to learn more about Día de Muertos to research authentic resources. One great way to do this is to hear and see the perspectives of people of Mexican and/or Indigenous descent and hear their experiences with the holiday.”
With Día de Muertos quickly approaching it’s important to understand the meaning and beauty behind the holiday. Although it’s a holiday mainly celebrated by Spanish-speaking countries, it’s a holiday that anyone can participate in to recognize their loved ones. Hopefully, the next time you see the beautiful face paint of the calavera or the papel picados in a store you will be reminded of your ancestors and the history behind Day of the Dead.
