Primary School – Thursday 5th November

El dia del los Muertes is a siginificant event in every Mexican’s calendar where they pray for and
remember family members and friends who have died. Although Day of the Dead (Dia de los
Muertes) is officially celebrated on the 2nd November GVI were priviliged to be invited to the local
Primary school in Mahahual to judge the shrine’s, or ‘altars de muertos’, that the children had made.
When we arrived at the Primary School on Thursday the children were all very excited as they had
been busy all week making their shrines (altars de muertos) in their classrooms for this special
competition.

The shrines featured an array of fruit and vegetables, special tamales, sweet bread’s decorated with
bone shapes (pan de muerte), chocolate milk and many other drinks. There were also coloured
candles to symbolise any children who had died that year, skulls (calaveras), and a path laid out to
help the spirits to find their way. Each classes shrine was different and the children had obviously
spent a lot of time and effort decorating them.

As part of the competition each class took turns to give an explanation of the symbolism and
meaning behind their creations. After much deliberation it was decided that the 5th and 6th graders
were the winners, with the 1st grader’s more simple Mayan shrine coming in a close second. I have
really enjoyed being part of the TEFL program over the past few weeks and it was a great
experience to share this special day with the children as well.