For the fourth year in a row, the Sumner Pierce County Library brought together two cultures to learn about and celebrate a popular Hispanic tradition: Dia de los Muertos.
Known as Day of the Dead to English-speakers, the holiday celebrates life and commemorates death by honoring those who have passed away with offerings of food, flowers and candles. It’s symbolized with vibrant golden flowers and whimsical skeletons, and takes place Nov. 1 and 2.
“It’s the day of celebrating deceased loved ones,” said Catherine O’Brien, the librarian who launched the event four years ago.
The goal of the library’s celebration is two-fold – draw the local Hispanic population to the library to celebrate and bring in non-Hispanic residents to learn about a different culture.
“It crosses bridges,” O’Brien said.
During the event, children made skull masks, decorated sugar skulls with vividly colored icing and made marigold flowers from tissue paper. Clowns painted children’s faces and made skeleton and butterfly balloon creations.
The butterflies are intended to represent change and the fleeting nature of life, O’Brien said. Dia de los Muertos is about accepting death as a natural part of life instead of fearing it.
“Life isn’t permanent,” she said.
Library Page Vicki Dawn helped Oscar Hurtado, 10, make a marigold flower out of tissue paper. Together, the two carefully fluffed up sheets of orange, yellow and red, crinkling them just right to form a flower.
The craft symbolized the real marigolds placed upon graves for the holiday.
Hurtado, from Puyallup, came to the library event with his parents and liked that there was a lot for him to do – he had already made a mask, which was resting atop his head so that he could see better for the flower-making.
His family doesn’t celebrate the holiday officially until December, when they visit family in Mexico and place flowers on graves.
Over at a table where children and parents were painting sugar skulls, 9-year-old Oliver Piocos from University Place was smearing purple icing on the tray that held his candy skull.
The smiling skeleton decorations and sugar skulls are meant to make people smile, not scream, and the point of the event is to rejoice, not mourn.
“It’s so much…healthier than Halloween,” O’Brien said.
Many Spanish-speaking mothers and fathers attended the event, including Oliver Piocos’ mother, Cinthya, a diverse community specialist for the Pierce County Library system.
“We try to do diversity-driven events,” said Cinthya Piocos, who speaks Spanish. “It’s cool because it’s honoring what people think is important.”
Reach Reporter Roxanne Cooke at 253-841-2481 ext. 314 or by e-mail at roxanne.cooke@puyallupherald.com.
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