The Dual Language Immersion teachers continue their annual tradition of honoring El Día de los Muertos at Midvale Elementary School.
Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead), is a time when families gather to honor and remember deceased loved ones. It is believed that the souls of the dead return to visit the living families in homes and cemeteries. Anything can be placed on the altar for the visiting souls, including traditional food, fresh flowers, pan de muerto (or bread for the dead), candles, copal incense (aromatic tree resin), fruits, cloths, photographs, favorite drinks of the deceased, sugar folk toys, religious images and clothing. Decorations also include tombstones, skulls and skeletons made of clay and other materials, sugar skulls, and papel picado. Most importantly, a photograph of the departed soul is placed on the altar. The sugar skulls are placed in the altar to represent each departed because in ancient times there were no pictures.
A big thank you to our dedicated DLI teachers for honoring this tradition each year.
