We are happy to announce the bond between MYP2 students and the PYP3/PYP4 students. Students in MYP2 Spanish will soon start a new unit called “Celebrations, add color to your life”. The first celebration we will work on will be “Día de los Muertos”. This celebration is different from Halloween as we honor and welcome back the souls of deceased relatives or pets for a brief reunion that includes food, drink, music and celebration.
The MYP2 students, along with their teacher, Raquel Carrasco, will be hosting engaging workshops during which the PYP3&4 students will craft paper flowers, create masks, and even get their face painted if they wish (with hypoallergenic face paint). We want everyone to have the freedom to choose the activity that resonates most with them.
On October 24th (PYP4) and October 25th (PYP3) we will invite anyone who’s interested to pen a message to a beloved soul in Heaven, whether it’s a cherished person or a beloved pet. These messages will then be taken to the Sile river, where we’ll release them into the water. What makes this moment even more special is the use of biodegradable rice paper, ensuring that the fish will consume it, carrying our messages through the water to our loved ones in the beyond. This last activity is not a Mexican tradition but was invented by Ms Carrasco for students to be able to express their emotions through messages.
In the MYP Spanish room, the students will also find a touching tribute, with photographs of those dear people and pets who are no longer with us. This display serves to embrace Life and Death, Remembering Loved Ones as well as honoring them and celebrating their memory. It will also foster a sense of community, and embrace a cultural expression that combines indigenous beliefs with Catholicism; through art, music, dance, and decorations, to show the fusion of these cultural elements.
The program will include:
- A presentation about “Día de los Muertos” led by some MYP2 students in the PYP building
- Picnic at the MYP building.
- Workshops led by MYP2 students to create flowers, masks and face painting
- Walk to the Sile River to send our messages to departed loved ones
Photographs and flowers will be welcome so we can put them on our altar.
We would love to have 2 parents from each PYP4 class and 2 parents from each PYP3 class to volunteer to join our celebration, especially to assist with paper mache mask creating or face painting, roughly 11:30 to 14:30 each day (October 24th for Y4 and October 25th for Y3).
To express your interest in helping out with this experience on the days indicated please send an email to the Students Office: office.ve@h-is.com
All PYP 3 and 4 parents must complete this form (Y3-4 “Dia de los Muertos” walk to Sile river) to provide permission for your child to walk off campus.
(a few photos from last year)
