Fiesta del Dia de Los Muertos

Day of the Dead altar set up oustide the Spanish classrooms.

Since when is death celebrated and seen as a joke? Every year on the day after Halloween, the Spanish culture celebrates the return of dead people’s spirits. This holiday became widely known as Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

“Students build an ofrenda [alter]. On the alter, Ms. Suroweic’s Spanish classes put traditional objects such as candles, skulls, and bread. Aside from different locations in America, mainly Mexico and some parts of Central America celebrate Day of the Dead. The Spanish culture is mocking the dead by placing sentimentals on the alter. This holiday is important because people have a chance to see other cultures and how they respond to death,” said Spanish teacher Ms. Elissa Garcia.

According to Ms. Garcia, more than 500 years ago, when the Spanish Conquistadors landed in Mexico, they came across natives practicing this ritual that seemed to mock death. The Spanish Conquistadors, or t

he Aztecs, believed that a person’s spirit never dies. This holiday is religious and has a connection to the Catholic holy days of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day by occurring on the same days.

“I’m in one of Ms. Suroweic’s Spanish three classes. First, we learned about Day of the Dead as it represents the celebration of people who passed away. Then, we wrote letters to family members, celebrities, and anyone who passed away. Basically, we colored pictures of skeletons and made an alter, such as the people do in many Spanish speaking countries,” said junior Shivanna Duncan.

According to the short novel El Día de Los Muertos by Mary Dodson Wade, people go to cemeteries to celebrate this day. Besides, making an alter, the Spanish bring yellow marigolds to the graves of the deceased because they are known as flowers of the dead.

This year, Ms. Suroweic’s Spanish classes, Ms. Garcia’s Spanish classes and the Spanish club celebrated Día de Los Muertos on November 2nd.