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Contact: Jenni Brockman Phone: 804-443-3357 Fax: 804-443-6781 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tappahannock (November 4, 2002) - Students at St. Margaret's School joined millions of Spanish-speakers around the world in remembering the lives of departed loved ones at a festive Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) service last week. 
Photo left:
Advanced Spanish students and Spanish-speaking international students led a celebration of the "Day of the Dead" at St. Margaret's School. They are pictured here with Spanish teacher Anna Beth McMahan (fifth from left) and Chaplain Ann Riggs (second from right).
"It was an educational experience for everyone, especially our language students, who expanded their cultural knowledge by planning and presenting the event," said Spanish teachers Anna Beth McMahan and Jennifer Bottoni. Students and faculty knew something was different as soon as they entered the school's chapel. Spanish classes had hung from the ceiling and windows bright flags of tissue paper, intricately folded and cut with human figures, crosses, and other symbols. They decorated the ends of pews with paper flowers and fanciful skeletons. The focal point was the ofrenda, or altar, on which they placed photographs of deceased relatives, skull-shaped sugar candies they made, and pan de los muertos (bread of the dead) that they baked. Members of the Spanish IV class explained that in Mexico, the Day of the Dead is a time to celebrate the ties between the living and dead as well as to examine one's life. By making skeleton figurines and sugar candies, they also poke fun at those who take themselves too seriously while alive, because they believe everyone is equal in death. After leading the school community in Spanish versions of "For All the Saints" and the Lord's Prayer, advanced students presented a short play titled "Francisca and Death." The drama begins as Death comes to a village to seek her next victim. But Francisca, although elderly, is sowing corn, nursing a sick child and working in the garden. Death ends up missing Francisca because she is too busy living. Local Spanish students leading the Dia de los Muertos celebration were Katie Carpenter of Irvington, Lauren Crockett of Irvington, Blair Fisher of Lottsburg, Claire Hopkins of Oak Grove, Lindsay Neist of Howertons and Jessica Stokes of Tappahannock. Boarding students included Brittany Alexander, Andrea Martinez, Evita Moody, Regina Saravia and Cariad Shepherd. The SMS community also celebrated All Saints' Day with a traditional Episcopal Eucharist service on November 1. |
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