About 120 children crafted with visiting artist Rachel-Anne Palacios during Morgan Hill Library’s Dia de los Muertos Family Crafts event on Wednesday, Oct. 17.
Community Librarian Heather Geddes said people made a variety of crafts including “mini ofrendas (or altars to the dead), calavera banks and repujado, a special type of metal art.”
Palacios also shared her knowledge of ofrendas and spoke about the meanings of the different elements of an ofrenda, demonstrating with an actual ofrenda she had set up at the library.
Geddes credits librarians Hylary Locsin and Jeannine Gonzalez with the idea for a Dia de los Muertos craft party and said it coincided with the Santa Clara County Library District’s celebration of National Hispanic Heritage month, which area libraries celebrated with different events highlighting Latino culture, including the Oct. 17 Dia de los Muertos crafting event.
“We have not done this specific craft in the past; however, we have done other events celebrating Latino culture during past National Hispanic Heritage Months,” said Geddes. “The library’s mission is to be an open forum promoting knowledge, ideas and cultural enrichment and we hope to continue providing events that celebrate the many cultures, history and contributions of our community’s residents.”
For more about Hispanic Heritage Month and other library events, visit: sccl.org. View Rachel-Anne Palacios’ work on instagram @devikaspalacio. The Morgan Hill Library is located at 660 W. Main Ave.
