057.C.W01.Zoom - Day of the Dead

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Description

Day of the Dead over Zoom

History of Day of the Dead ~ Día de los Muertos
What is the difference between Halloween and Day of the Dead?
Skull Decorating
Game - Pass the sombrero
Mexican Hot Chocolate

Resources

Device with internet connection

Leader only:
Same as Cubs
Leader notes

YPs:
Paper/printout of skull
Colouring pencils
String, if you want to make it into a mask
Timer - 15 minutes should be about right
Music
A hat
Hot chocolate
Kettle
Mug
Tea spoon
Hot chocolate powder
Cinnamon (about a teaspoon depending on your taste)
Chilli powder (small amount! You can always add more)
Water
Milk (optional)

Instructions

History of Day of the Dead ~ Día de los Muertos
https://mexicansugarskull.com/pages/history-of-day-of-the-dead-dia-de-los-muertos

Day of the Dead is an interesting holiday celebrated in central and southern Mexico during the chilly days of November 1 & 2. Even though this coincides with the Catholic holiday called All Soul’s & All Saint’s Day, the indigenous people have combined this with their own ancient beliefs of honoring their deceased loved ones.
They believe that the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31, and the spirits of all deceased children (angelitos) are allowed to reunite with their families for 24 hours. On November 2, the spirits of the adults come down to enjoy the festivities that are prepared for them.
Beautiful altars (ofrendas) are made in each home. They are decorated with candles, buckets of flowers, mainly wild marigolds called cempasuchil, mounds of fruit, peanuts, plates of turkey mole, stacks of tortillas and big Day of the Dead breads called pan demuerto. The altar needs to have lots of food, bottles of soda, hot cocoa and water for the weary spirits. Toys and candies are left for the angelitos (child spirits), and on Nov. 2, more grown up things, like alcohol cigarettes and shots of mezcal are offered to the adult spirits. Little folk art skeletons and sugar skulls, purchased at open-air markets, provide the final touches.
Day of the Dead is a very expensive holiday for these self-sufficient, rural based, indigenous families. Many spend over two month’s income to honor their dead relatives. They believe that happy spirits will provide protection, good luck and wisdom to their families. Ofrenda building keeps the family close.
On the afternoon of Nov. 2, the festivities are taken to the cemetery. People clean tombs, play cards, listen to the village band and reminisce about their loved ones. Tradition keeps the village close.

What is the difference between Halloween and Day of the Dead?
https://mexicansugarskull.com/pages/sugar-skull-faq
Halloween and Day of the Dead are frequently confused since Day of the Dead is the day after Halloween. Baby's spirits return to their parent's home on November 1 and the spirits of dead adults return home November 2. Cemetery celebrations occur during these days too depending on the traditions of the town or village. Day of the Dead is a synchronistic blend of pre-Conquest pagan rituals and the Catholic celebrations called All Souls and All Saint's Day. Although it's roots are Catholic, it has become a cultural event more than a religious holiday. The Mexican official national holiday is taken November 2.
What is important to remember is that Day of the Dead is a beautiful, spiritual family holiday to honor the memory of dead relatives. It's not really the memory of their death but spending time thinking about and feeling the essence of their life. It's a bonding time and respectful time that brings generations together within a family and the entire community. Continuance of these ancient traditions, getting everyone's sleeves rolled up to work on food preparation, tomb cleaning and building an elaborate ofrenda in the living room brings solace to older folks that might otherwise fear that they will be forgotten after their death. And for those of the religious persuasion, this is a very sacred encounter with dear missed spirits that have been released from heaven for a day, allowed to return to enjoy the visits, offerings and foods of their family. Read more about Day of the Dead history.
Halloween is a holiday with origins in an the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. It was celebrated 2000 years ago at the end of the harvest, before the beginning of the cold, dark winter, both to give thanks to the spirits for a fruitful harvest as well as to scare the spirits of the dead from causing sickness, plague and crop damage. Masks and carved turnips (not pumpkins!) with scary faces were used to scare these naughty spirits away from their villages. Animal heads and skins were worn as costumes. Huge bonfires were made to burn animals as sacrificial offerings to the Celtic gods. The progression and history of this holiday is interesting and complex but we all know it turned into the commercial Hallmark holiday we all enjoy with trick-o-treating, costumes, carving pumpkins and bobbing for apples. The holidays are different in their origins, beliefs and how they are celebrated. Search Google for more info on Halloween.

Play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9uyhhb2W30&list=PLujOlA0EuuHBfNPi98iLkIkxDc0IxEGdD&index=1

When each number comes up, pause and read out the wording below before the clip continues:
9. Papel Picado are used to decorate for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
8. Calavera is face-painting representing skulls to honour the dead.
7. Ofrendas are alters displaying offerings for the deceased.
6. Alebrijes are traditional folk art sculptures. In the movie, Coco, they act as spirit.
5. Cemetery Celebrations: Cemeteries are decorated to welcome back the spirits to the land of the living.
4. Festive Foods: Calaveras de azucar (sugar skulls), pan de muertos (bread of the dead), champurrado (hot chocolate), and more are part of the celebration.
3. Family Reunions - On Dia de los Muertos, spirits are reunited with their loved ones.
2. Music is a big part of the Dia de los Muertos celebration.
1. Cempasuchil (sem-pas-oo-chil) are marigolds that guide the spirits back home. The flowers represent the beauty and fragility of life.

Skull Decorating
https://pawprintfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/woocommerce_uploads/2020/07/Sugar-Skull-Colouring-Sheet.pdf
Equipment
Paper/printout of skull
Colouring pencils
String, if you want to make it into a mask
Timer - 15 minutes should be about right
Music - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZRbcVG6WEQ&list=PLujOlA0EuuHBfNPi98iLkIkxDc0IxEGdD&index=2

Play the music in the background while colouring and explain the different colours.

You can use any colours for your design but each colour has a special meaning:
Red is used to represent our blood
Orange to represent the sun
Yellow to represent the Mexican marigold (which represents death itself)
Purple is pain (though in other cultures, it could also be richness and royalty)
Pink and white are hope, purity, and celebration
Black represents the Land of the Dead

Draw and/or colour in a skull with different patterns

Game - Pass the sombrero
Pass the sombrero...like pass the parcel but if you’re wearing the sombrero (your hat) when the music stops you must do a forfeit.

(Mariachi music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZRbcVG6WEQ&list=PLujOlA0EuuHBfNPi98iLkIkxDc0IxEGdD&index=2 - might have to wait for YouTube adds!)

Equipment
A hat
Put your hat on and off as quickly as possible while the music is playing, if you have the hat on when the music stops you do a forfeit.

Forfeits
Do these in order and play the music one more time after setting the final forfeit to play out the forfeit and end the game.
Run round your chair 5 times or on the spot for 10 seconds
Do 3 push ups
Act and sound like a bird
Act and sound like an elephant
Make a funny face
Turn your t-shirt or jumper all the way round without taking it off (or half way round)
For the next round alternate between putting your hat on your head and on your foot

Mexican Hot Chocolate
Equipment
Kettle
Mug
Tea spoon
Hot chocolate powder
Cinnamon (about a teaspoon depending on your taste)
Chilli powder (small amount! You can always add more)
Water
Milk (optional)

Adult might need to help.

Put the water in the kettle and turn it on
Add the powder and spices to the mug
Add the hot water to the mug and mix well
Add a splash of milk is desired and mix again

057.C.W01.Zoom - Day of the Dead

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