Greetings Cragmont Community- For the past few years, Cragmont has hosted a school community event to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), the annual Mesoamerican celebration wherein families gather to honor and remember deceased loved ones. The tradition started in Mexico but is now celebrated in different ways across Latin America and in many other parts of the world. Though we cannot celebrate together in person this year, we wanted to share information about the Dia de Los Muertos holiday and offer opportunities for Cragmont families to celebrate together virtually from home. Even if you have not celebrated this holiday in the past, we encourage you to learn more about this beautiful and meaningful celebration with your students and families this year. DIA DE LOS MUERTOS COMMUNITY OFRENDA (or Altar) One key feature of Dia de Los Muertos is the creation of ofrendas, or altars, that honor deceased loved ones. The word "ofrenda" means offering in Spanish, and the ofrenda is a home altar, usually created for an individual person, that features a collection of objects placed on display during the holiday to guide the loved one to reunite with their relatives. Ofrendas typically feature photographs of the deceased person along with marigolds, sugar skulls, candles, and the loved one's favorite foods. We have created a virtual ofrenda (altar) for the Cragmont community to share remembrances and to honor family members who are no longer with us. The virtual ofrenda can be found in your email and we invite all community members to add their own posts and read posts shared by the community. This board is private to the Cragmont community, so please do not forward the link outside of your household.
VIRTUAL CELEBRATION
If you and your family would like to join a community celebration of Dia de Los Muertos in real-time, the Oakland Museum of California is offering a free virtual celebration this Sunday 10/25 from 2-3 PM RSVP Here.
RESOURCES:
If you and your family would like to learn more about the Dia de Los Muertos celebration, please find links to additional resources below:
History and background on the Dia de Los Muertos tradition:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/north-america/mexico/top-ten-day-of-dead-mexico/
The meaning behind six objects on Dia de Los Muertos altars:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/meaning-behind-six-objects-dia-de-los-muertos-altars-180973442/
Short video that explains the significance of sugar skulls on Dia de Los Muertos (narrated by a 9 YO boy):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oylZ8q2g_oQ&feature=youtu.be
How to make Papel Picado (fun craft activity):
https://museumca.org/sites/default/files/OMCA%20Dia%20de%20los%20Muertos%20-%20Papel%20Picado%20Activity.pdf
OMCA Exhibit from 2019 that explains the Chicano Roots of Dia de Los Muertos Celebration:
-https://gesso.fm/omca/collections/Exhibition/el-movimiento-vivo-chicano-roots-of-el-dia-de-los-muertos
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