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Día de los Muertos
Shawnigan celebrated Day of the Dead this week with a moving Chapel service and decorations in the Friesen Centre.
Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) is celebrated in Mexico and Central America on November 1 and 2, but with students away for November Break starting this Friday, the School marked the special occasion in the Chapel gathering on Wednesday.
As Patricio G. explained last week, Day of the Dead is a time to remember family members who have passed on. November 1, el Día de los Santos Inocentes, is a day to remember the souls of children who have passed on. Everyone else is honoured on November 2.
The Chapel altar was decorated, following Day of the Dead tradition, with candles, cempasuchil flowers (marigolds), pan de muerto (bread of the dead), sugar skulls, and Mexican dolls.
Grade 12 students Angela U. and Sebastian A. explained that Day of the Dead is not a sad occasion, but a joyful time to honour loved ones, sing songs, and pray. They passed a microphone around the Chapel, giving other students the chance to share memories about their loved ones who have passed on. Then Sean X. and JD P. sang “Remember Me” from the movie Coco in English and Spanish as students placed photos on the altar of their loved ones. As students left the Chapel, they were presented with pan de muerto.
Diwali, another international festival featuring marigolds, was also marked in Chapel, as Sorath R. related some details about the South Asian festival and said a prayer, while Pemba L. lit a candle.
Outside of Chapel, Grade 9 art students crafted papier-mâché skulls to honour their family members, blending Day of the Dead traditions with their own creativity. “Each skull was uniquely decorated, symbolizing personal connections and the vibrant cultural heritage of Día de los Muertos,” art teacher Mrs. Rainbow Bartlett explained. “This project allowed students to reflect on identity and remembrance.”
The Grade 9 students also used the laser cutter to design and make stencils, which were displayed in the Friesen Centre along with the masks.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
