Category: Cultural Corner

By Emilie Chau

Synonymous with the colorful sugar skull, Day of the Dead, known as Dia de los Muertos in Spanish, is a holiday celebrated throughout Mexico on Nov. 2 to honor deceased loved ones.  It is also a way to contact the spirits of the dead and remind them that they are still loved and unforgotten.  Although physically separated, people can still connect with their loved family members.

The holiday stems from ancient traditions in Mexico from the pre-Columbian era, and those ancient rituals have been around for several thousand years.  When Europeans came to North America, they blended their Roman Catholic holiday of All Saints Day with the natives’ tradition and created Day of the Dead.

Those who celebrate this holiday all have different traditions or customs that they do on Day of the Dead.

“One of my aunts or uncles will collect money for the flowers so they could take more flowers to the cemetery,” says Spanish teacher Claire Gonzalez on one of the traditions her family does for Day of the Dead.

“We make a special bread called pan de muertos,” says Spanish teacher Sergio Reyes.

There are many common traditions that people do, such as decorating the cemetery–typically with marigold flowers, known as cempasúchil in Spanish, have picnic at the cemetery, decorate altars in the homes with the favorite food or trinkets that the deceased loved along with colorful sugar skulls and tell stories of the deceased.

Cemeteries become colorful with the festive decorations and candlelit scenery.

To prepare, many people make or order the food in advance, collect donations for flowers or candles and purchase decorations for the altars.

When remembering loved ones, it isn’t in a sad or somber manner; it is in a joyous and happy way that celebrates the life they lived.  By telling funny stories or anecdotes, one is able to remember how the person was when he or she was alive.

By Michelle Fong

From around the world, people share their culture in various ways such as food, clothing and holidays.  But do people ever share the ghost legends from their culture?  Every culture has its unique ghost that haunts little kids into behaving.

One unique ghost is the toilet ghost from Japan, called Hanako-san.  Hanako-san is said to be the spirit of a young World War Two girl who haunts school bathrooms.  Legend has it that if you go to the third stall of the girls’ bathroom on the third floor, knock on the door three times and ask “Are you there, Hanako-san?” you will hear a small girl in a red skirt with bobbed hair answer “I’m here.”

Another classic ghost story originating from Irish culture is the Headless Horseman.  The Headless Horseman, also known as the Irish dulachán, is a headless fairy riding a black horse while carrying his head and a whip made from a corpse’s spine.  Once he stops riding or calls out a name, someone dies.

Perhaps one of the most famous ghosts in history is Anne Boleyn, who haunts England after her execution in 1536.  Many people have claimed to see her haunt several famous buildings including Hever Castle, Blicking Hall and the Tower of London.

Many of the ghost legends arise from the “truth” that someone saw; others come from the imaginative mind of an elder who wished to scare some children.  Either way these stories help form the different cultures around the world.

By Sommer Fowler

Simple Mask

Materials:

• Construction paper
• Felt
• Scissors
• White glue
• Hot glue
• Strip of elastic or decorative straw or ribbon
• Feathers, glitter, markers, etc.

Cut construction paper into the desired outline of the mask and cut out eyeholes.  It may be helpful to first draw the shape of the mask on a sheet of paper.  Cut a piece of felt into a similar yet slightly smaller shape so that when placed over the construction paper, the paper is visible around the edges of the felt, like a border.  Glue the felt on top of the construction paper, making sure the eyeholes are aligned.  Decorate the mask using materials like markers, glitter or feathers. To create a hand-held mask, hot glue a sturdy decorative straw to the back of one side of the mask.  For a hands-free version, hot glue the ends of an elastic strip measured about an inch smaller than the desired head size.  It is also possible to use ribbon in place of elastic and tie the ribbon in a bow at the back of the head.

 

Fast Face Décor

Materials:

• Eyelash glue
• Rhinestones, glitter, lace, etc.

Apply a thin layer of eyelash glue to the desired area.  Wait 30 seconds then apply rhinestones or brush on glitter.  Cutouts of lace can also be used.  Gluing different colors of glitter can create an ombre effect.

 

Easy Colored Hair

Materials:

• Newspaper
• Tape
• Comb
• Colored hair spray

Tape newspaper around the neck until it resembles an apron.  Any part of the hair to be left uncolored should be covered.  If the hair is long, section the hair into small parts.  Spray the colored hair spray onto the hair while combing through one section at a time.  Using a hair dryer while combing can speed the process.

 

Tips

Almost any of these materials can be substituted, the beauty of DIY is that it allows creativity.  When working with messy products like glitter or colored hair spray, make sure to work in an open space.