The Spanish Language Teachers organized the event “Dia de Los Muertos” otherwise known as “Day of the Dead” for the first time at Pierce this year, with the aim for our students to become familiar with the customs of Spanish-speaking countries. Dia de Los Muertos is the most significant holiday of the Mexican culture and it has been proclaimed as an “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO.
Every year on this day, the people paint their bodies like skeletons and they join in a procession while thousands of small candles light the path of the dead. Tradition has it that only for one day, the dead can cross over into the world of the living and meet with their loved ones again. The Spanish speaking people look forward to this day as it is believed that it is the time when the souls of their loved ones who have passed, return to life. It is a day to remember them, to remember all that we did or didn’t do for them and with them, in an environment that contributes to a pleasant and liberating sense of reminiscing.
So this is a celebration of joy and life, not death, with vibrant colored flowers, face painting, colorful skulls, traditional clothes and local cuisine that starts on October 31st and culminates on November 2nd.