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ALAMO — The sixth annual Dia De Los Muertos altar exhibit by PSJA Memorial Early College High highlights the outstanding talent in the district, passion for cultural heritage and, most importantly, the celebration of life, death and community.
Starting in 2018, the Dia De Los Muertos celebration is also an altar contest judged by University of Texas Rio Grande Valley faculty and students.
“It’s a surprise every year the way they take it to another level,” Principal Raquel Garcia said.
“It started with the Spanish department,” she said. “The dual language teachers asked the principal about the possibility of doing it because it’s a competition through UTRGV … they’re the ones who come and judge. It’s all about trying to enrich the cultural background with the community.”
The event has expanded to include other departments to participate such as fine arts, welding, construction, and elementary and middle schools.
“It’s a project-based learning that promotes the language acquisition within our campus and to value the culture and to enrich the culture background with our students,” Garcia said. “At the same time, it gives them the confidence to use the language beyond the classroom.”
The celebration went all out this year with live music from PSJA Memorial’s own Conjunto Tesoro, dances from Ballet Folklorico La Herencia, poetry from students and, of course, beautiful colorful altars dedicated to those who have died.
“The beauty of all of this is that all students at different levels participate,” she said. “Whether you’re a recent immigrant or a student that’s been here for four years, everybody gets an opportunity to participate and even do it in their own language, which values them and gives them a sense of belonging to our campus.”
Starting the grand opening celebration with music and dances, guests were welcomed to a huge calavera at the front of the school.
Before entering the school, a handful of altars were right outside of the school’s entrance with various loved ones on them. One altar had former longtime PSJA board member Jesus “Jesse” Vela and security guard Joel Ramirez.
“It’s very emotional,” Idolina Vela, Jesse’s widow, said. “It’s a beautiful tribute that they paid to those that have gone on to eternity.”
Entering the section of hallways used for the exhibit, everything is decorated from floor to wall. Each section of the exhibit has students talking about the art, explaining the meaning of Dia De Los Muertos and even singing.
One hallway leading to the main piece of the exhibit has marigolds on the ground. Also known as Cempasúchil flowers, they are very bright and are thought to attract the souls of the dead to the ofrendas prepared for them. The walls of the same hallways are also full of letters from students to their loved ones.
The main piece of the celebration is a large altar with a massive heart in the middle that was inspired by the celebrations theme this year which is “latidos de amor y de recuerdos hasta el infinito.”
Upon entering the large space with the massive altar, the heart lights up in the middle and is accompanied by a loud but subtle heartbeat.
PSJA Memorial Mariachi Generaciones played a handful of songs to end the event.
Alma Huerta, a junior who was the lead singer of the mariachi, said she felt honored to be chosen among her talented fellow musicians.
“I feel happy that we’re playing in memory of all the people who passed like our security guard,” she said. “He passed this year and I’m so happy that we get to put him on the ofrenda and just remember him.”
Christopher Limas, another junior in the mariachi, said it’s his third year playing for the celebration.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” he said. “The Spanish teachers put so much work into this and it’s a blessing.”
Limas said his favorite part of the celebration are the practices leading up to it since he feels the time spent together makes everyone feel like a family. He also feels it’s an important tradition.
“I feel it’s very important because nowadays some people are trying to get rid of Mexican culture in schools and I’m not a fan of that so, I think it’s really important to spread culture around and not to forget we’re still part of it and because we’re honoring our past,” Limas said.
