By Jose Jovel
On Nov. 2, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) came alive at Pueblo High School—with several artistic and vibrant displays around campus.
One of the most dramatic and spectacular was the one in front of the library; it was difficult to miss because of this display’s vibrant colors and elaborate and meticulous craft.
Ms. Marsha-Jean Burrola, Pueblo’s librarian, began back in September setting up this display—with some help from the Pueblo community.
“To prepare for this display, we used a CCLC [21st Century Community Learning Centers] program called ‘Maker-Con’ to help us set up for this event,” Burrola said.
She added that she had a lot of help from staff and students.
Burrola would like to thank the following for their artistic contributions:
Ms. Patsy Soto and Ms. Armida Martinez, both CCLC employees, helped Burrola with this display. A few students also added their creative touches: freshman Mariana Martinez, senior Vianney Fimbres and senior Esme Rodriguez.
Día de los Muertos is a two-day festival that takes place every Nov. 1 and 2. Although most strongly identified with Mexico, Día de los Muertos is celebrated throughout Latin America and everywhere with a Latino population, including many Southwestern American cities—including Los Angeles, San Diego and here in Tucson.
This event honors the dead with festivals and lively celebrations—a typically Latin American custom that combines indigenous Aztec rituals with Catholicism, brought to the region by Spanish conquistadores hundreds of years ago.
This year, Dia de los Muertos was even more eventful due to the number of COVID-19 related deaths, affecting the Pueblo community with great devastation.
“Many students and members of our Pueblo community have lost relatives and loved ones in the past 18 months,” Burrola said. “Honoring those who have passed during this time [Dia de los Muertos] has been especially heartfelt.”