Elon hosts interactive presentation on Día de los Muertos

During the week of Oct. 31, more than 200 Spanish students from Elon and 51 eighth-graders from Western Middle School attended an interactive presentation about Day of the Dead – Día de los Muertos – in Carlton Commons.

Originating in contemporary Mexico, Día de los Muertos is typically celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2, as it’s said that the gates of heaven open on midnight of Oct. 31 to allow the spirits of children to rejoin their families for 24 hours, followed by the spirits of adults the next 24 hours.

Students had the opportunity to eat delicious pan de muerto (Day of the Dead bread) from Panadería el Dorado on West Front Street in Burlington, decorate Day of the Dead cookies, make flowers for the altar, work on a Día de los Muertos puzzle, and, most importantly, remember and speak about their loved ones who have passed away.

The middle school guests also learned all about the language learning opportunities that the Department of World Languages and Cultures has to offer from speaking with Spanish Education major Casey Paulhus.

To prepare for this event, members of the Day of the Dead committee, including April Post, Mayte de Lama, Maria Jose Larrazabal, Elizabeth Trexler, Ronnie LoCash, and Ricardo Mendoza, collaborated with student staff from World Languages and Cultures and El Centro to prepare materials for classes, including videos and slideshows, and set up a beautiful, interactive altar in Carlton Commons.

This opportunity was supported by the Department of World Languages and Cultures and El Centro.