Not just for Mexico, Whidbey Island residents also celebrated variations of Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, earlier this week. The holiday, while often associated with Halloween, carries a much deeper meaning as a remembrance day for loved ones who have died.
One of the autumn festivals celebrated at the Whidbey Island Waldorf School in Clinton is Dia de los Muertos.
“Dia de los Muertos grew from the blending of Aztec beliefs and rituals with the Christian All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day,” said Karina Bergen, enrollment and outreach director at the Whidbey Island Waldorf School in Clinton. “The result is a unique mix of the solemn and respectful, the festive and whimsical.”
In Mexican culture, Dia de los Muertos celebrations occur between Oct. 28 and Nov. 2. Each day is designated to welcome the arrival of spirits. Oct. 31 to Nov. 1 is reserved for los angelitos, the spirits of young children. Nov. 1 to 2 is for the spirits of adults. Along with making altars for those who have passed on, people will go to cemeteries to visit their loved ones and clean or decorate their graves. Despite it being a remembrance day for the dead, it is a joyful celebration.
The holiday has been celebrated at the Whidbey Island Waldorf School since 1997. The festival is led by the school’s Spanish teacher Claudia Kiyama, who incorporates Mexican culture and the history of Dia de los Muertos into her lesson plan.
“It’s really integral to our school, this festival,” Bergen said.
Students in the sixth and seventh grades built a large altar, or ofrenda, elaborately decorated with traditional items made by students in all grades including sugar skulls, paper marigolds and papel picado (tissue paper flags with cut-out patterns).
Students and their families visited the ofrenda on Nov. 1 and 2 with photographs and stories of deceased family members, friends or pets to add to the altar.
Bergen said the students love celebrating the holiday every year.
Because the ofrenda is covered in tea candles, the school always has someone there to keep an eye on it. Bergen was watching over the altar when she saw about half of the school’s second graders visit.
“They were so pleased to point out all the photos of their cats and dogs and family members and tell little stories and just look around in awe,” she said.
Clinton resident Georgia Edwards trains competitive scent detection dogs for sport. Every year, she makes an ofrenda and celebrates Dia de los Muertos to remember dogs that have passed on.
“Some of these people have trained with me for 12 years,” Edwards said. “We’ve gone through three, four dogs. We all in our lives have people we’d like to see again or pets that we’d like to see again for at least a day.”
Her students brought in photos of dogs that have since passed. Edwards displayed a painting of one of her dogs, as well as tags from all of the previous dogs she’s owned.
They had a little gathering at the start of class “to welcome back our special dogs to come visit us again,” Edwards said.
Originally from Southern California, she takes inspiration from the joyous celebrations in Mexico and makes it a happy event.
The Langley Woodmen Cemetery has been celebrating All Souls’ Eve every year on Nov. 1 since 1996. Luminaries, which are candles in white paper bags, line the roads of the cemetery. People also put luminaries on the graves of loved ones, or in another area if the grave isn’t located at the cemetery.
“It’s inspired by the many cultures around the world that honor the dead around early November … and just honor that tradition, but we did it in our own little Langley way,” said Cary Peterson of the Friends of the Langley Woodman Cemetery. The group cares for the cemetery and organizes the event.
Just like Dia de los Muertos, the main purpose of the event is to remember loved ones who have passed away.
“It’s a time of shared grief and love and all those things that happen when someone dies that you love,” Peterson said.
She said that this year the weather was perfect and she estimated about 150 people attended. The luminaries filled the cemetery with light.
“The rain stopped for a moment, it was very moving,” Peterson said.
Photo by David Welton Karina Bergen, enrollment and outreach director at the Whidbey Island Waldorf School, said celebrating Dia de los Muertos is integral to the school. Students and staff decorate the ofrenda with pictures, candles and sugar skulls.
Photo by David Welton Heidi Dudley and her dog Jupider celebrate Dia de los Muertos at Georgia Edwards’ home in Clinton. Edwards builds an altar to honor deceased pets every year.
Photo by David Welton Maryl Douglas and her dog Daffodil celebrate Dia de los Muertos at Georgia Edwards’ home in Clinton. Edwards builds an altar to honor deceased pets every year.
Photo by David Welton Tim Tuttle and his dog Jasper celebrate Dia de los Muertos at Georgia Edwards’ home in Clinton. Edwards builds an altar to honor deceased pets every year.
Photo by David Welton Carey Peterson placed luminaries at the Langley Woodman Cemetery, something that is done every year to celebrate All Soul’s Eve.
