Understanding Day of the Dead: A Misunderstood Tradition

1. Introduction • You and three friends are part of a year long foreign exchange program from the United States to Mexico. Now that it’s October, you start to notice some major changes occurring around you in town. People are suddenly hanging "esqueletos" EVERYWHERE! You see “surfer skeletons, boy & girl skeletons, animal skeletons, even CHOCOLATE skeletons! It’s skeleton fever! What gives? Are these people just fanatics about Halloween? But the closer it gets to Oct 31st, the deeper the madness! People are starting to hang out at their local "CEMENTERIO"!!

2. Our host families are building altars with “ofrendas” in their homes! Even after October 31st, it still continues! What is all the fuss about? Now after sharing with family and friends back home in the States about the strangeness of this holiday, EVERYONE is convinced that you all must come home immediately to get away from that evil place that worships skeletons! Though these customs seem strange and different to you (the foreign exchange students), you all feel it is unfair to “jump to conclusions” without first finding out the meaning behind this bizarre holiday.

3. You and your fellow exchange program “compañeros” manage to convince the parental units to give you all two weeks (the next two days!!) to research and prepare a PERSUASIVE argument to convince them that it would be in the best interest of everyone involved to stay in Mexico for duration of your year of study. Now all you have to do is learn all there is to “Day of the Dead” compile your findings into a report and present a convincing argument back to the "home-front"  You are convinced that though at first glance, this holiday does seem weird and strange, it really is just misunderstood instead of rightly understood. • FINAL LETTER DUE : OCT. 31 in class

4. ROLE REQUIREMENTS 1. Each member of your four-person group will choose a role. You need to fully assume theROLES of your character to succeed as a group. 2. Read through the files designated for your group. You can print out pages and underline the parts that you feel are important or cut and paste from the webpage into a word processor. 3. NOTE: Remember to write/include the URL of the page/file you take information from so you can return to it and use it as a citation.  4. The class has been divided into groups of four. Each “like” expert will work collectively to research and answer the accompanying QUEST(ION) / TASK assigned to that role. For example, all the HISTORIANS will work on their task as well as all the CULTURAL/LANGUAGE experts, etc.  5. Be prepared to focus what you've learned into one main opinion that answers the Big Question based on what you have learned from the links for your role. 6. Once the required research is complete for each expert, students will get back into their groups and share the information with the other group members in order to begin creating their FINAL PRODUCT: The group’s report of their answers to the questions & PERSUASIVE ESSAY on "Día de los Muertos". GO TO FIN of Slide show

5. ROLES BACK TO ROLES REQUIREMENTS Historian Your job is to become an expert on the basic history of this Holiday.  Check these sites for people and events that shaped this Holiday. Good luck! job is to become an expert on the basic history of this Holiday.  Check these sites for people and events that shaped this Holiday. Good luck! Culture/Language Expert Your Religion Expert Fine Arts & Culinary Expert Your job is to become an expert on the vocabulary, symbolism and culture of this Holiday in Mexico. You should search the internet to find information about the people, traditions, festivals, etc, any other relevant aspect that affects this Holiday in Mexico. Find out if DOD is the same or different from Halloween. Search the links below to start. Good luck! Your job is to become an expert in the ancient Aztec and Christian beliefs about Day of the Dead. Answer: How is “Day of the Dead” a perfect example of the blending of beliefs (Christianity & ancient Aztec) in Hispanic culture? Search the links below to start. Good luck! Your job is to become an expert on all of the fine arts in this country. Look for famous pieces of art or artists, popular music and dance, and significant plays related to this Holiday. Also, you are to become an expert on the food that is prepared for this Holiday. Look for recipes & pictures. Use these links to help you in your search. Good luck!

6. HISTORIAN EXPERT 1.How did this holiday start & where did it come from? 2.What are the dates of “El Día de los Muertos”? 3.What is the significance behind these dates? 4.What different events take place during these days? 5.What did the Aztecs believe was the purpose for this holiday? 6.What did the Aztecs do with skulls? 7.How did the Aztec’s view death? 8.How are the Aztecs like the Egyptians? 9.According to Náhuatl culture, what is the destiny of humanity? 10.In prehistoric times, when was the holiday celebrated? 11.Did this celebration begin before or after the arrival of the Spanish in the new world? 12. How did the Spanish feel about this holiday? Did they try to change it? If so, how? • Links to help answer the questions above • Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead History, crafts, & more • Aztec & Mayan beliefs about Day of the Dead • Mexconnect History of Day of the Dead BACK TO ROLES

7. CULTURAL & LANGUAGE EXPERT 1.Why do Mexicans celebrate “El Día de los Muertos”? 2.Do we (USA) celebrate anything similar? 3.List 2 main activities do Mexican families do to honor their deceased relatives? 4.In Mexican cities & villages, how do people celebrate this holiday? Are there any differences or similarities? Explain with examples. 5.Are there any differences or similarities with Halloween and Day of the Dead? Explain with examples. 6.Do people wear special clothing to celebrate “El Día de los Muertos”? Explain with examples. 7.Who is this holiday for? Adults? Children? Or the whole family? 8.Identify 3 common misconceptions about “The Day of the Dead”? 9.How did Bill Begalke, a U.S. citizen feel when he realized he was going to witness the Day of the Dead? Do you think you would feel the same or different? 11.Define the following terms: “Calacas”/ “Calavera/ “Papel Picado”/ “Copal”/ “Altar”/ “Esquelto”/ “Atole”/ “la Catrina”/ “Ofrenda”? Give at least 5 examples with reasons why they are important/ “Alfeñique”? How are they decorated/ “Cempazuchitl”? Why is it used during this holiday? • Links to help answer the questions above • A 'Dead' Language? • Hallows Day • What do Mexicans celebrate on Day of the Dead • Mexconnect-Article & Photographs by Bill Begalke • Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) • Common Misconceptions About Day of the Dead BACK TO ROLES

8. RELIGION EXPERT 1.How do Mexicans make fun of death? 2.What are the dates of “El Día de los Muertos”? 3.What is the significance behind these dates? 4.What different events take place during these days? 5.What did the Aztecs believe was the purpose for this holiday? 6.What did the Aztecs do with skulls? 7.How did the Aztec’s view death? 8.How are the Aztecs like the Egyptians? 9.According to Náhuatl culture, what is the destiny of humanity? 10.In prehistoric times, when was the holiday celebrated? 11.Did this celebration begin before or after the arrival of the Spanish in the new world? 12. How did the Spanish feel about this holiday? Did they try to change it? If so, how? • Links to help answer the questions above • Mexican Tradition - Day of the Dead/ All Saint's Day • Halloween & day of the dead on the net • ORIGIN OF THE DAY OF THE DEAD IN MEXICO • Legends and History of Halloween, All Saint's Day, Day of the Dead • Day of the Dead – Rite and Traditions BACK TO ROLES

9. FINE ARTS & CULINARY EXPERT 1.Who is José Guadalupe Posada? What types of drawings did he do? Why did he draw the pictures he is famous for? 2.What kinds of images are typical of “El Día de los Muertos” art? How are these images portrayed in Mexican art? 3.What crafts are typical during “El Día de los Muertos”? 4.What is Papel Picado? When is it traditionally used? 5.Make or show examples of typical crafts to be displayed (3 pieces). 6.What is Day of the Dead masks created for? What is their purpose? 7.Are there special foods and or sweets eaten at this time? What are they? 8.Find a recipe for a special food eaten at this holiday. 9.What is the cultural significance of the “Pan de Muerto”. How is it decorated and why is red sugar used? 10.What types of food are traditionally placed on the altar? BACK TO ROLES Links to help answer the questions above Day of the Dead craft site / Papel Picado: The art of Mexican CutPaper ·La Calavera Catrina (the skeleton of the fashionable lady) is the ... Jose Posada & Day of the Dead Mexican Day of the Dead Artwork Even Skeletons Gotta Eat...Day of the Dead traditional foods Los Muertos are the 'Life' of the Party / PhotoGallery on DOD Day of the Dead ~ Mexican Folk Art ~ Merchandise ~ Sugar Skull Molds

10. THE TASK / BIG QUESTION • The Task/ Big Question: What is all the fuss about Día de los Muertos? Demonic? Odd? Or simply a mis-understood tradition? Many believe that this holiday is similar to Halloween. Is this an accurate comparison? Explain your answer. BACK TO ROLES REQUIREMENTS

11. DEBATING, DISCUSSING & REACHING CONSENSUS Now the four students two week grace period is about up. Each exchange student has now become an expert in one of the four different parts of “Día de los Muertos”. The students will get back into their groups to share the information with the other group members in order to begin creating their group’s report of their answers to the questions & their group’s PERSUASIVE ESSAY/letter on "Día de los Muertos". It's important to return to the original Big QUEST(ION)/TASK so that students will look at the Quest(ion) more completely in order to answer it as a group. Each of you will bring a certain viewpoint to the answer: some of you will agree and others disagree. Use the information, facts, opinions, etc. from the web sites you used to research about this strange and different holiday to convince your group mates that your viewpoint is important and should be part of your group’s answer to the Task/Question. Your WebQuest team should write out an answer that everyone in the group can live with. BACK TO ROLES REQUIREMENTS

12. FINAL PRODUCT Together, the four of you will put together the following: 1). A GROUP REPORT that presents the answers to the Quest(ion) given to each expert about “Día de los Muertos (DOD)” 2). A PERSUASIVE ESSAY/LETTER to send back home to the States in order to convince your parents that the people of Mexico have NOT gone off the deep end with fanaticism and that you all should be able to stay in Mexico for the duration of the year. 3). Be able to PRESENT webquest team’s PERSUASIVE ESSAY/LETTER to your classmates in order to convince that the people of Mexico have NOT gone off the deep end with fanaticism and that you all should be able to stay in Mexico for the duration of the year. 4). This presentation will bring another culture to life while teaching their fellow Americans about this strange yet exciting Holiday. Focus on comparing and contrasting what we know and are already accustomed to in the United States. What are some of your thoughts concerning this holiday? In addition, what did you find interesting or not so interesting? BACK TO ROLES REQUIREMENTS

13. Many Thanks to: Señora Pati McCormick Shue-Medill Middle School Spanish Level I E L F I N