As students and teachers head out of their classrooms for lunch, they are suddenly greeted by the sound of music and a burst of bright colors from a distance. On Nov. 1, during lunch, students gathered around the BVH Library lawn watching the Mariachi perform songs such as ‘Un Poco Loco’ for the celebration of the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). BVH staff and students organized a Day of the Dead celebration, offering students an opportunity to learn about the cultural traditions of Mexican heritage.
Moreover, these cultural traditions are based on the belief that a passageway is opened between the spirit world and the world of the living. Throughout the days, Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 deceased family and friends can come back and visit their loved ones. BVH Spanish Honor Society and Spanish teacher Maria De La Cruz has been organizing and setting up an annual Day of the Dead celebration. She expresses that this tradition is important for the BVH community.
“Día de los Muertos is a celebration of life. A celebration that tells everyone that we are not afraid of death and that there is life after death. It is wonderful to celebrate those who have passed and remember them fondly,” De La Cruz said.
Thus, De La Cruz has consistently dedicated herself to organizing a Day of the Dead showcase each year,beginning planning early in Oct.. During this time, she collaborates with students and staff from Mecha and Spanish Honors Society to ensure everything comes together. The students involved commit to multiple meetings to help prepare and regularly check in to make sure everything is on track. This year, De La Cruz introduced a new approach by asking BVH Librarian Adrien Marriott to hold the celebration within the library area.
“De La Cruz and students from certain clubs as well as other students chipped in. She [De La Cruz] had a lot of decor that she brought for the decorating. [For instance,], she had students help make paper tissue flowers in her classes, so it was a collaborative effort. We even had some parents come in and help which was nice,” Marriott said.
Involving students in the preparation for Day of the Dead became a meaningful way for them to connect with the tradition and contribute to the celebration. De La Cruz brought over numerous decor she has held onto for the past few years from her trips and students’ artwork to display. Marriott shares her concerns towards the past celebrations and the decor De La Cruz used and the troubling possibilities that could occur.
“Throughout previous years, De La Cruz has always done something [in honor of the Day of the Dead] outside of her room but [there could be] possible complications, like if it was raining and it [the decor] could get ruined. We [both] believed that the library would [be best and] give us a more enclosed space, leading her to getting Mariachi to play on the library lawn which was a nice treat to see,” Marriott said.
What started as a personal project has grown into an annual event that unites the BVH community in honoring and remembering loved ones. Many students such as BVH Mecha Club junior Secretary and junior Marina Rodriguez were given the opportunity to be a part of the Day of the Dead celebration this year.
“I was not a part of the preparations last year, but I do remember [my] freshman year, there was a car that was [a part of the celebration]. This year is more special since [a lot more of us] took the time to decorate everything. We took the time to ask people to come and contribute to this special day,” Rodriguez said.
Once the planning began, everyone involved was determined to create a celebration that would be unforgettable, and they brought more people into the effort. Many students and staff had the opportunity to contribute to the setup, but along the way they encountered a challenge that became crucial to preserving the tradition.
“It is important to have a lot of cempasuchil flowers which represent miracles. One of the biggest challenges [throughout the process] was making enough [tissue paper] flowers, because the cempasuchil [flowers] represent Day of the Dead. The marigold is very important because it is the scent that attracts spirits back to Earth,” De La Cruz said.
Moreover, BVH staff and students focus a lot of their effort on keeping the essence of these culturally significant celebrations, by having these handmade crafts set the stage for the annual celebration. Rodriguez shares her thoughts on sharing this cultural tradition within the BVH community.
“Bringing [the Day of the Dead celebration] to school made people realize the importance of supporting one’s culture. When I saw everybody smiling and everyone telling me, ‘it is so pretty’ I felt proud in the moment, for my culture specifically since I am Hispanic. It is nice to see others appreciate something [we do] that is beautiful for our cultural traditions,” Rodriguez said.
