Dia los muertos 

 

On Thursday room 11 celebrated Dia los muertos (day of the dead). Day of the dead is a Mexican celebration, it is a day to celebrate, remember and prepare special foods in honour of those who have died. 

On this day in Mexico, the streets near the cemeteries are filled with decorations of papel picado, flowers, candy calaveras (skeletons and skulls), and parades. In order to celebrate, the families make altars and place ofrendas (offerings) of food such as pan de muertos (bread of the dead) baked in shapes of skulls and figures, candles, incense, yellow marigolds and most importantly a photo of the departed soul is placed on the altar. 

To mark the occasion room 11 designed and created their own calaveras using black cartridge paper and pastels, some students even created them out of acetate (clear platstic sheet). 

  

In the afternoon Sarah, Pablo's mum, visited room 11 and spoke to the class about dia los muertos. She gave us a first hand account about the celebration and explained the significance and importance of the event. Sarah brought in a number of items related to dia los muertos such as the sugar and chocolate skulls that are used to decorate the ofrendas (offering) and papel picado (perforated paper). 

Sarah also read a fantastic book in Spanish to room 11 called 'El Circulo Magico', the book was about a young girl's experience of day of the dead.

Thank you Sarah for visiting room 11.