Celebrating ‘Día de los Muertos’

To explore the theme of ‘Experiencias’ Year 12 students celebrated Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos).   

Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) is a Mexican celebration that takes place 1st and 2nd November to honour deceased loved ones. Combining indigenous traditions with Catholic influences, it is a joyful, colourful event rather than a mournful one. Families create altars (ofrendas) decorated with photos, marigolds, candles and offerings like food, drinks and items enjoyed by the deceased. Sugar skulls, special food and vibrant costumes and face paint resembling skulls are iconic symbols. The holiday celebrates the belief that the spirits of loved ones return to visit, celebrating life and memory.

Face painting, especially in the form of skull designs known as ‘calaveras,’ holds deep symbolic importance in Day of the Dead celebrations. Inspired by the Mexican illustrator José Guadalupe Posada’s iconic ‘La Catrina,’ these painted skulls represent the view of death as a natural, even humorous part of life. Rather than fearing death, the painted faces honour it, often blending vibrant colours and floral patterns that emphasize beauty, life and remembrance. The face paint also serves as a way for people to connect with their deceased loved ones, embracing death as a part of the human journey while celebrating the lives of those who have passed.

Students took on different roles – either being painted, painting, filming, creating a poster or creating instructions in Spanish. The IB writing tasks are varied and sometimes students are asked to produce a poster or a series of instructions. Therefore, they researched the process by watching face painting tutorials in Spanish. Then different groups made their own step-by-step video tutorial in Spanish demonstrating the process. In a couple of weeks students will refresh these skills in the kitchen when they learn about Identity and they develop their ability to create certain dishes to explore the importance of certain foods and preparation within the theme of ‘Identidades’.