Dia de Los Muertos

Pioneer Academy Honors Loved Ones with Dia de Los Muertos Event
Posted on 11/15/2022
This is the image for the news article titled Pioneer Academy Honors Loved Ones with Dia de Los Muertos Event

Cultures all over the world have diverse celebrations for honoring the dead. The Obon festival in Japan, The Hungry Ghost Festival and Qingming in China, Chuseok in South Korea, Pchum Ben in Cambodia and the Gaijatra festival in Nepal are just a few examples of how people take time to honor those who have passed on. In her first novel, Adam Bede, George Eliot wrote, “Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them.” Honoring the dead and keeping their memories alive is a universal idea that is as important to the living as it is to the deceased.

Recently, students, staff and family members at Pioneer Academy participated in a Día de los Muertos event which focused on honoring and celebrating those who have passed away. Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, evolved in Mexico and other Central American countries. It combines the ancient Aztec custom of celebrating ancestors with All Souls' Day, a holiday that Spanish invaders brought to Mexico starting in the early 1500s. Traditionally, it is celebrated on November 1 and 2, though the dates might vary from region to region.

As part of this joyful celebration, students at Pioneer created and displayed ofrendas, ate the traditional pan de muerto, sipped hot chocolate, watched the movie Coco and played games.

Lyla Hurt, a junior at Pioneer, said, “I really enjoyed making the ofrenda because it helped me cope with the death of my father. Celebrating him made me feel happy because, if he was here celebrating with me, he’d know I remember him.”

She continued saying she enjoyed the fun event, and she had some good laughs. Lyla also wanted to thank everyone who helped with the event. It was a fun night for honoring ancestors and for strengthening the school community.

Pioneer Academy would like to offer a special thank you to Centro Market, Jason and Paula Zona, Miriam Silis and her family and Trustee Lupe Ramirez.

Written by Rebecca Allen
English III / Spanish I /English 200 /EL Designee/ GATE Coordinator
Pioneer Academy