West Branch Students took part in the celebration of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on Friday. Day of the Dead is a universal celebration and remembrance of past friends of families that have passed away. The holiday originated in Mexico, and is a continuation of Aztec traditions. During the holiday, altars are made to honor a past family member or friend. The altar consists of a picture of the person, foods that he or she enjoyed, and other objects that pertained to the person. Incense, candles, and marigolds (flowers) are also added to the mural.
“My favorite part about Spanish 3 and 4 celebrating Día de Los Muertos is when they create their altars. It’s very cool to see them get involved and be creative,” Spanish teacher Sra. Bollinger said. “For Spanish 1 and 2, I think it’s very cool to see the kids try new foods because some of them have never experienced authentic Spanish food before.”
The Spanish 3 and Spanish 4 classes at West Branch each made a mural to remember someone who had passed in the last year. Spanish 3 made an altar to honor Prince, while Spanish 4 made an altar to honor Selena Quintanilla.
All students who take a Spanish class had the opportunity to bring in a Spanish-styled dish for a party to celebrate the holiday. Students brought queso, pan de muerto (dead bread), cakes, churros, and other foods.
“I liked that we were able to be creative and decorate our own altar,” Junior Thomas Kovalick said. “Also, we can show creativity by making authentic Spanish foods.”
