A skeleton danced all night among the clear blue waves on a comfortably cool November night; a skeletal dolphin was his only companion. He waved his arms and gyrated his bones to the music of the mariachi as passersby watched and took photos. He danced to celebrate the dead.
The dancing skeleton was just one attraction of PaliHi’s Day of the Dead festival, which ran from 6 to 9 p.m. on November 1 at the PaliHi Quad. The festival was a joint effort of the Latino Student Union and performing arts students at PaliHi. Nancy Fracchiolla, visual and performing arts teacher and organizer of the event, said dancing skeletons are a staple of the Mexican holiday also called Dia de los Muertos.
“In the states, we are caught up in the mourning of death,” explained Fracchiolla, “but it can be a joyful experience and a celebration.”
The event followed through on that ideal. The Quad filled with hundreds of students, parents, teachers, residents and children all celebrating jovially and filling the school with a twilight energy similar to a night of trick-or-treating. This was the fourth time the school put on a Day of the Dead celebration, and according to Fracchiolla, “was by far the biggest, thanks to a generous grant given to the school.” More than 100 students participated in creating artwork, stages, performances and cuisine.
The center of the grassy Quad was transformed into a cemetery marked by makeshift graves representing famous Latinos and Latinas. Student performers, like sophomore Lily Caffey, sat next to each grave to provide information about the famed deceased.
At one point, a mariachi band in skeleton costumes paraded around the cemetery, singing songs and tossing candy in all directions. Facepainting stations were also a big hit, as dozens of people had skull masks painted on their faces. Kerry Feltham, a film production teacher at PaliHi and an El Medio Bluffs resident, and his wife each had half skulls painted on their faces to celebrate the festival. “We are having a wonderful time,” said Feltham. “And we are very much looking forward to the food.”
The aroma of Mexican sweet bread and hot tamales permeated the air so strongly that one could fill up on flavors just by gulping the breeze. Other offerings included sweet rice pudding, bean dishes, jamaica hibiscus drink, horchata and the iconic pan de muerto.
Pan de muerto is the staple food of the Day of the Dead and literally translates into “bread of the dead.” It is typically shaped like a skeleton or skull and represents the souls of the departed in the same way that the marigold flower is a symbol for the death. All the food was provided by the families of the Latino Student Union.
A colorful bang ended the festival. Sophomore Michael Gillman thought of the idea to shoot fabricated butterflies out of vacuum gun. The butterflies had the names of loved ones written on their wings and fluttered all around the quad.
“It blew me away,” said Fracchiolla. “It was such a crazy concept to see the butterflies soaring through the air and was perfect because the butterfly is the symbol of rebirth.”
Fracchiolla added the festival raised $1,800 from suggested donations at the door and they plan to do event again next year.
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