The Spanish section at MIT Global Languages decided to celebrate the Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, held November 1st and 2nd, by taking over the Global Commons Lounge in Building 16 during the last week of October. Along with the traditional altar in honor of the dead, this year the whole lounge was decorated with papel picado (cut tissue-paper banners), as well as flores de cempasuchil (Mexican marigolds, sometimes called the flowers of the dead due to their use on altars and as offerings), and posters describing the meanings of this pre-Colombian festivity.  

As part of this “takeover,” all Spanish class sections went to visit the altar, and participated in its creation by bringing pictures and objects related to their loved ones or people they admire who have passed. This made the altar a collective effort from all the members of the Spanish learning community at Global Languages, aiding our understanding that language is more than words uttered in a classroom; it is deeply connected to cultural practices and traditions that go back centuries.