Día de los Muertos: Culture, Creativity, and Comida!

Each year that I have attended Post Oak, I have participated in Día de los Muertos celebrations, commonly known as Day of the Dead, and these have made for some very fond memories. Celebrated for 25 years at the school, it’s no wonder that this is such a prominent tradition and one that is enjoyed by students and teachers alike.

As a student at the Bissonnet Campus, I remember creating beautiful ofrendas, or altar tables, decorated with colorful cempasuchil, elaborate papel picado and various other elements, each with its own significance. For example, cempasuchil, or Marigolds, are considered the flower of the dead. Our work to prepare the ofrendas led up to an official celebration day, when we would listen to presentations and further learn about all the elements of this day and its significance. We ended the day by eating some delicious pan de muerto, a tasty bread rolled in sugar. It was a very sweet finale!

This year, the festivities continued at the Bissonnet Campus, with Primary and Elementary classes learning about the history, while the Upper Elementary students created presentations and reports to share with their class. Spanish teachers read books and supported both Primary and Elementary in creating ofrendas, and students were invited to bring photos and share memories of loved ones who passed away. Celebrations like this give everyone the opportunity to learn about different cultures, including those that were previously unfamiliar.

“When I came to Post Oak I was not familiar with The Day of the Dead celebration and it was through Mrs. Patricia Onofre and the students' reports that I learned about the history of this important tradition," shared Irma Alarcon, a member of the Bissonnet Campus Spanish Department. "For me, Day of the Dead is a way to connect with my ancestors, honor their memory and appreciate everything they did for us.”

The Museum District Campus also celebrated in a special way by including the whole upper school community. The 9th and 10th grade students received a sugar skull makeup demonstration and tried it out themselves, then shared their faces over a Zoom class. The 11th and 12th grade students chose from a variety of tasks. Some prepared traditional dishes, such as pollo en mole, empanadas, enchiladas or sopa de tortilla, while others created an ofrenda honoring their loved ones. On Friday, November 6, the entire High School community gathered virtually to honor this tradition. Students presented in both Spanish and English on the different aspects of the celebration, and there was a musical performance of a traditional song and explanation of different dishes that students prepared. 

I spoke with Maestra Novak, our High School Spanish teacher, to learn more about why she believes it is important to celebrate this tradition as a community and where it comes from. She explained that this is a tradition that has been celebrated for over 3,000 years. It was started by indigenous communities in Central America and Mexico, and is now celebrated in every Mexican state, while other Central American countries have their own differentiated features of the tradition. For example, Mexico has elaborate celebrations with parades through the streets, while in Guatemala it is common to spend the entire night at the graves of loved ones.

Dia de los Muertos has been recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Unlike monuments or collections of objects, this is a distinction given to oral traditions, events and other expressions. As explained by UNESCO, “An understanding of the intangible cultural heritage of different communities helps with intercultural dialogue, and encourages mutual respect for other ways of life.” Though there is no official count of how many people celebrate Dia de los Muertos, it is increasingly popular around the world, and recognition of other cultures through celebrations like this is an important part of the curriculum here at Post Oak.

Maestra’s favorite part of the celebration is the way students actively participate in the celebration. “They put so much effort into their make-up, cooking projects and crafts, and it is a beautiful experience,” she remarked. She also loves how the community is able to join together and celebrate the lives of their deceased ones in a very unique way. “This is also one of my favorite parts of the celebration. Often when we think about death it is something very sad, but Dia de los Muertos is not a sad day, it is instead a day of celebration for you loved ones and honoring the life that they lived.”