Los muertos de fiesta (A2-B1)

Service Description

Los Muertos de Fiesta en Oaxaca Levels: two separate groups, A2–B1 (Upper Beginner and Lower Intermediate) and B2–C2 (Upper Intermediate and Advanced) · Format: 4 weekly sessions, 1 hour each, max 3 participants, online via Zoom In Oaxaca, the dead don't just come home. They come home to a party. This four-week tertulia takes you on a cultural journey through the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, a celebration where remembering death becomes a way of celebrating life. Week by week, you will explore its origins, rituals, flavors, and artistic expressions while practicing your Spanish in real conversation. Both groups cover the same topics, with materials and discussion adapted to each level. In the A2–B1 group, you will build vocabulary and confidence to describe traditions and share your own experiences. In the B2–C2 group, you will go deeper into history, symbolism, and debate. As in every tertulia, each participant prepares with different materials, which keeps the conversation dynamic. Week 1 · Welcoming the Dead: Origins and Roots Where does this celebration come from? We explore prehispanic beliefs about death and the journey to Mictlán, the blending with Catholic All Saints' and All Souls' Days, and the days dedicated to children and adults who return. Week 2 · Return to Life Through Food Mole negro, hot chocolate, tamales, mezcal, and Oaxaca's pan de muerto decorated with little painted faces. We talk about the markets that fill up before the celebration and why the dead are said to enjoy the essence of the food prepared for them. Week 3 · Embodying the Presence of the Dead in Art and Crafts Sand tapestries, papel picado, sugar skulls, barro negro, and carved, painted wood figures. We discuss how Oaxacan artisans give shape and color to the presence of the dead. Week 4 · Celebrate the Dead with Activities for the Living Comparsas and muerteadas, candlelit nights in the cemeteries, altar contests, and calaveritas. We close the course with the ways Oaxacans celebrate together, and how this tradition might change the way you think about remembering.