Día de los Muertos is celebrated throughout Latin America, particularly in Central and South American countries. It is holiday born out of the mix of indigenous practices and celebrations of the dead with Spanish Catholic beliefs and holidays (All Saint’s Day, in particular).
Halloween, Samhain (Gaelic), Obon or Bon (Japan)…Día de los Muertos (Spanish, Day of the Dead)… humanity needs sacred time to honor the loved ones who have gone before us. And doing this communally is an essential part of how we hold our stories, our identities, our changing natures and lives—and communities—close.
Día de los Muertos is celebrated throughout Latin America, particularly in Central and South American countries. It is holiday born out of the mix of indigenous practices and celebrations of the dead with Spanish Catholic beliefs and holidays (All Saint’s Day, in particular).
Over the past two years, Morningside Center’s PAZ After-School program has collaborated with Green-Wood Cemetery with P.S. 24 (shout out to Ana Maria Aguilar who takes a lead every year in this extraordinary event!) to honor and celebrate Día de dos Muertos. PAZ students create art pieces that are showcased at Green-Wood's Día De Los Muertos Family Celebration event, and PAZ hosts an activity table where attendees can make and decorate paper skull masks.
We invite you to join the Sunset Park community, Green-Wood Cemetery, PAZ and us:
Last year, we began by learning about Día de los Muertos, emphasizing how this cultural celebration allows us to honor and pay respect ancestors, family members and loved ones who have passed away. And we shared traditions of remembrance for each child's family or culture—inclusive of many traditions.
After learning about the holiday, kids of all ages created and decorated ofrendas (altars) to remember someone significant to them. The colorful altars included photos of departed loved ones along with marigolds, sweets, other foods and decorations such as calaveras (colorfully decorated skulls)—then displayed at the Celebration. This beautiful day is an important holiday in the cultures of many of our students, and created an opportunity for children to explore how many different cultures practice remembering and honoring ancestors, family, friends and other loved ones who have passed on.
And this moment can be especially meaningful for children who need to process loss on different levels—just like grown-ups. This year, a 3rd-grade PAZ after-schooler lost a stuffed animal, an object that was particularly significant for him and used for emotional support. He carried Petey with him every day for more than a year, and struggled with losing Petey, expressing sadness and anxiety. So, when his group began working on the Día de los Muertos project, he chose to honor and remember Petey. Now, he is actively engaged by the honoring and celebration, and excited that Petey will be included and remembered. This kind of moment can prove transformational for children who are learning about an essential part of life: death and loss; and how to hold all kinds of feelings about such losses, as well as witnessing their own growth and change.
We invite you and your loved ones to join us on Friday, November 1st at Green-Wood!
¡Ven celebrar juntos el 1 Noviembre!