I came up with my idea from my parents teaching me about the universe as a living entity, I combined this with my own life and it's marriage of destruction and creation. I thought this would be a cute story to teach kids about balance.
Tell about the project - books are headed to Nicaragua
This project made me think about the expansion of literacy and the issues that carry through languages, borders and through all peoples. I think it was a kind gesture to help out people in need and teach us at the same time.
What do you hope students in Nicaragua will get out of your book?
I really hope that the students in Nicaragua will appreciate that they have an individualistic book that they can learn about balance and love from.
Dia de los muertos originated in South America and is a mestizo holiday combined from All Saints and All Souls day (November first and second) and indigenous celebrations. It was made to remember all of the people that are no longer with us. They commemorated their lives by having parties in the graveyards of their loved ones and decorating their graves with pan de muerto, marigolds, papel picado, pictures and other things that help represent their loved ones.
I chose to celebrate my uncle Drew, I never knew him personally as he died when he was five but this project gave me a real sense of who he was. I knew very little of him but I ended up being given a scrapbook full of articles and stories and pictures of his life. I read letters from his doctors, nurses, and friends who made me realize just how important he was to so many people, this made me from a real personal connection to someone who I wouldn’t know much about if it wasn’t for this project.
For my project I made pan de muerto, marigolds, a sugar skull and a painting of a polar bear which had a lot of significance to Drew. I learned so much about the latina side of my family and I had so much fun painting faces at the exhibition. I am now happy to say that I know someone much better than I would have without this project.
Dia De Los Muertos By Sareth Underwood Mi tío se llamaba Andrés Sánchez tenía cinco años el era de durango el vivia en hospital por mucho años. El se murio a veinte y seis de Noviembre en el hospital. El cumplianos de mi tio era el sies de octubre. El era muy cómico y simpático. Andrés tenía pelo negro y ojos azules el gordito y bajo. El gustaba Cinderella, escoge su nariz y sus hermanas Jodi y Sarita, Andrés era gustaba mucho un juguete oso blanco que se llamaba Gunda. Su mamá se llamaba Paula, y papá se llamaba Ronnie. Te echamos de Andrés! Feliz dia de los muertos!