A Cultural Celebration

Día de los Muertos at Mount Madonna School

Mount Madonna School (MMS) had their annual celebration of Día de Los Muertos or Day of the Dead. Spanish teachers Carolina Riano and Sara Sobkoviak invite parents, visitors and the community to view the students’ altar or art installation outside of the Spanish classroom at the upper campus.

The installation featured the art projects, poetry, food and drink created by all MMS students, preschool through grade 12. Students created a centerpiece for the installation as well as dioramas, decorative candles, skeleton figurines, calaveras or sugar skulls, and decorative papel picado tissue paper banners to fill the space.

High school students wrote poetry, short stories and created art, to remember and honor dear loved ones who have passed.

Delicious homemade, pan de muerto or Bread of the Dead was made by preschool, kindergarten and fifth grade students, and refreshing jugo de Jamaica, or hibiscus juice, was prepared by third graders.

Día de Los Muertos or Day of the Dead is an annual celebration that takes place most notably in Mexico and is the result of cultures and traditions merging throughout history.

During the course of two days, families gather and take a special journey to grave sites and resting places of their loved ones to spend the days and evenings celebrating their past lives feasting, dancing, and sharing memories.

This is a time of reflection and appreciation of the time they had with them. This special holiday is not related to Halloween and is not meant to be scary.

It is a time to reflect and remember the special loved ones, the angels in our lives, even pets who have passed away. Traditionally altars are decorated with flowers, candles, sugar skulls, figurines, and food and objects representing loved ones.

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For more about MMS: MountMadonnaSchool.org