Sugar skulls

Bibliography http://mexicanfood.about.com/od/history/a/SugarSkullHistory.htm

What are Sugar Skulls?

Sugar skulls are exactly that- skull-shaped sugar. Traditional Sugar Skulls are made from a granulated white sugar mixture that is pressed into special skull molds. The sugar mixture is allowed to dry and then the sugar skull is decorated with icing, feathers, colored foil and more. While the ingredients of Sugar Skulls are edible (with the exception of the non-edible decorations you may add) the skulls are generally used for decorative purposes. However some small sugar skulls that are made with basic icing are intended to be consumed.

Where were the first Sugar Skulls made?

• Dia de los Muertos was an Aztec ritual that celebrated the lives of those who have deceased. The Spaniards who invaded Mexico tried to eliminate this seemingly offensive month-long holiday with no success. Dia de los Muertos was eventually merged with the Catholic All-Saints day and All-Souls day on November 1st and 2nd in an effort to make the holiday more Christian.

• According to Angela Villalba from the Reign Trading Co. sugar art dates back to the 17th century when Italian missionaries visited the New World. Mexicans during that time period had very little money and learned from the Catholic friars how to make decorations out of an ingredient they had plenty of- sugar. Molds were made of clay and the sugar decorations were used to adorn the church as well as ofrendas and gravestones. For the Dia de los Muertos celebrations the sugar was pressed intoSugar Skulls and each sugar skull represented an individual and their name was often inscribed on the forehead of the skull.

La Catrina • La Calavera Catrina ('Dapper

Skeleton', 'Elegant Skull') is a 1910–1913 zinc etching by famous Mexican printmaker, cartoon illustrator and lithographer Jose Guadalupe Posada. The image depicts a female skeleton dressed only in a hat befitting the upper class outfit of a European of her time. Her chapeau originally is related to French and European styles of the early 20th century. She is meant to portray a satirization of those Mexican natives who, Posada felt, were over embracing European traditions of the aristocracy in the pre-revolutionary era. She in particular, has become an icon of the Mexican Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.

Content objective(what you can do)

• I can review information about Columbus day and identify what a sugar skull is.

Language objective(How you are going to do it)

• I can review information about Columbus day with the ALC and writing Cornell notes. I can take Cornell notes on sugar skulls and make one to place in the room.

Content objective(what you can do)

• I can review information about Columbus day and identify what a sugar skull is.

Language objective(How you are going to do it)

• I can review information about Columbus day with the ALC and writing Cornell notes. I can take Cornell notes on sugar skulls and make one to place in the room.

La calaca de azucar

• Get a Calaca • Create your own design on your calaca• Color it (please take care of the crayons; don’t

break them, keep them on your desk, return them when you are done.

• Write your name and number on the back• Write 5 facts about sugar skulls on the back.• Turn in your skull to the chairs when you finish.

• Write your name and number on the back• Write 5 facts about sugar skulls on the back.

You might have to do this at home.

• Please remember: You have the computer document to turn in, your partner clock to turn in. You will need to do your calaca at home.

• Calaca • Create your own design on your calaca• Color it