November 2nd was Dia de los Muertos. It is a very special day for most people, this holiday is very common in Hispanic cultures. This holiday is known as the Day of the Dead. This holiday can be a hard holiday for a lot of people due to the loss of their loved ones, but it’s a holiday to cherish to keep the memories of the people they love alive.
According to Patricia Ramirez, Ridgeview’s Spanish teacher, she feels that Dia de los Muertos is,” a wonderful celebration because it brings to the forefront that we are not here forever and it’s important because it makes us remember those who passed away. “ She doesn’t put up any altars, but her parents do all year long. You can decorate these altars however you would like or what your passed relative would eat, drink, wear, and ect. There are many different ones, but the ones that the students have made in the library have three tiers.
Ramirez says that she and the kids in her Spanish three class have made altars for the school and did an amazing job, Ramirez states, “It is part of my heritage and culture it’s my strong believe even though I don’t create altars myself it is a reminder that I’ll never forget who passed away and keeping them in my heart.”
Dia de los Muertos started, “A long time ago with the Aztecs they created the celebration to honor the goddess of death and they used to keep an actual Skull of a person and when the Spaniards came along they thought it was a terrible holiday or celebration and it used to be a month-long celebration”. She also adds, “This used to be a celebration in the summer and what the Spaniards started doing because they couldn’t make a move or change the holiday they moved it to where it is now and shorten the time”
To honor this celebration for your loved ones in Greenlawn cemetery they have a Dia de los Muertos festival. Ramirez says, “ The cultures just really seeping into the city and it’s just beautiful to see culture here” Dia de los Muertos is originally on November 2 But as Ramirez says, “ Well it all just depends on who you ask some places start celebrating it from October 27 and some other places from the 31st and some more other places it’s from the 1-2.”
Jessica Canedo is a student who feels that Dia De Los Muertos is a really beautiful part of the culture. She puts up altars for her loved ones. Jessica states that, “ I just put marigolds and calaveras and colored salt and make flowers out of it” to decorate the altar, she adds,” For school, we have some activities in the art classes like coloring skulls to represent the Day Of The Dead.”
“I put up my altar in my living room”, Canedo says. Day Of The Dead is, “ A day where your dead relatives come to visit you they cross the flower bridge like in Coco” Coco is a movie all about The Day Of The Dead. If people were more educated on this day. She says that,“ Her grandma that passed” taught her about this day.
Genesis Lopez is a student at Ridgeview High School who claims that the Day of the Dead is a great tradition in the Mexican culture. Lopez celebrates by decorating by putting up stuff for her grandpa and her cats who have passed. “ We usually put his favorite beverages, his favorite food, nice bible verses that he loves or were very heartfelt to him,” Lopez states. Bakersfield does some fun activities for this special day. “Last year there was a county festival that they had at the fairgrounds. My family and I even attended.” She states. Lopez also says. “It was actually pretty cool we dressed up and made little headpieces and did our makeup.” People should learn more about this day, and get to know the background “ Yeah especially here in the United States because we’re all very diverse so it makes people feel included, especially here in California,” Lopez states afterward.
Although Dia De Los Muertos may be a sad day for most people it is still a day that shall be honored for your loved ones to come through and check up on their family and to remember who you lost, remember all the memories you guys had together. This day is a very special day for most.
