The Day of the Dead is celebrated around the world in many different ways. Here’s how teachers and students feel and celebrate this historical holiday here at Ridgeview High School.
Patricia Garnsey is a Spanish teacher here at Ridgeview High School. Garnsey says the Day of the Dead is a multi-day celebration that honors the lives of loved ones who have passed. Garnsey talks about how this day is celebrated on campus, “Teachers in the World Language department give an array of activities depending on the level they teach, varying from watching cultural videos to making ofrendas and displaying them in the library for everyone to enjoy.” She says the meaning behind the ofrenda is an altar that is offered to the souls/spirits of those who are being honored. “It’s a celebration of life. All the colors actually have a meaning: Yellow / Orange, these colors are closely associated with the flower Cempasúchil marigold, and purple symbolizes mourning, grief, suffering, and spirituality. White represents purity, hope, and renewal of the spirit. Red symbolizes the blood of life and pink signifies celebration, joy.” Garnsey says that on this day people visit gravesites to pay respects. Garnsey made her Spanish 3 students make offenders to be shown in the library. “It’s a fundamental part of the target culture and students must understand the meaning behind such an important celebration that has been occurring for about 3000 years.” Garnsey explains how Día de los Muertos is often mistaken for a Mexican version of Halloween that is about death. When it’s not, it is a beautiful day to celebrate the lives of our loved ones who have passed.
Desiree Mendoza is a student here at Ridgeview High School. Mendoza thinks that it’s important to celebrate the Day of the Dead, “ It’s important because they need to be remembered and honored for the life that they lived.” Mendoza talks about how the Day of the Dead is very different from Halloween because it is not about trick or treating or about scaring people, “It’s about being grateful for those who’ve walked the earth with us”. She celebrates the Day of the Dead by setting up her own little altar at home with photos and stuff of her family members and loved ones. Here at Ridgeview for her Spanish class she made an altar for Selena Quintanilla, “She is my family member’s favorite singer, they love her songs.”One item she put on her altar to represent her was red lipstick.
Julyssa Gonzalez is a student here at Ridgeview high school. Gonzalez talks about how for her Spanish class they made alters and set them up in the library. She made an altar for her grandma, she put a lot of decorations and filled it with a lot of her favorite foods. “She is a very close person to me, and I miss her and I love her very much ”. To represent her grandma Gonzalez placed a rosary on the altar. Gonzalez says it’s important to honor our loved ones so their lives don’t go to waste. “This day is different from Halloween because it’s a historical holiday.” Gonzalez and her family do celebrate this day. They don’t have an altar set up in their home, but if they were, they would put her grandma, pets and any other family members that have passed.
