I’m writing this week’s blog a few days early to emphasize a special component of our fall festival, our Día de Los Muertos ofrenda. In Spanish ofrenda means altar or offering. A traditional part of typical Día de Los Muertos celebrations, ofrendas are created in homes and public places to honor ancestors and loved ones who have passed from this world. Last year while traveling I saw a large, beautiful ofrenda in the San Francisco International Airport. Here at the Seed we’ve typically created a community ofrenda, and many classes have made them in their rooms as well. The emphasis is on celebration and honoring the memory of loved ones, rather than focusing on sadness. In addition to the ofrendas, some classes have students make individual presentations about loves ones who have passed.
Ofrendas may include candles, flowers (particularly marigolds), butterflies, papel picado (cut paper flags), and photographs or artifacts of loved ones. We are inviting all of our families to participate in the Seed’s ofrenda at our fall festival. If for some reason you aren’t able to attend the festival, you’re welcome to bring items to school during the week leading up to Día de Los Muertos, beginning October 28. Our ofrenda will be set up in the multipurpose room.
If you would like to participate, please bring a small photo of a loved one who has passed (including beloved pets) and place it on the ofrenda. You’re welcome to bring it in your own frame. We look forward to creating this heartfelt space of remembrance and celebration as a community.
For further reading about this beautiful, heartfelt tradition, here are two previous blog posts about offends and Día de Los Muertos: