Day of the Dead – Tin Box Diorama
The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) and the Juan de Fuca Foundation for the Arts (JFFA) are collaborating to celebrate Day of the Dead – el Día de Muertos or Día de los Muertos in Spanish – a traditional holiday observed throughout Mexico and throughout parts of the United States, which honors and remembers deceased friends and family members. This holiday is a unifying national practice in Mexico based on indigenous traditions combined with European influences.
Watch a video tutorial for all ages at nols.org/DDLM by Seattle-based artist Amaranta Ibarra-Sandys, who was born and raised in Mexico City. Ibarra-Sandys explains how to make your own diorama and shares Día de los Muertos traditions.
Starting Monday, October 17, pick up a Take & Make: Day of the Dead Diorama Kit at your local NOLS branch. Use the diorama to create your own home altar or send it back for display in an ofrenda community.
To participate in the Port Angeles ofrenda community, drop off your diorama at the JFFA drop box at Chase Bank, 101 W. Front St., Port Angeles, by Sunday, October 23. Residents of Clallam Bay, Forks and Sequim can drop off their dioramas at their local library by Monday, October 24. Community ofrendas will be posted from October 25 to November 25. seven.
“We are beyond excited to partner with NOLS again for our annual Día de los Muertos Market Art Project. The past two years have been so successful and allowed us to expand our cultural offerings here in the northern Olympic Peninsula. JFFA has been a part of the community for 30 years and it’s partnerships like this that bring us together to create art and culture that matters, increase equity and inclusion available here on the Peninsula,” said said JFFA Executive Director Kyle LeMaire.
For more information about this and other events and services happening at your library, visit www.nols.org, call 360-417-8500, or email Discover@nols.org.
