Last month, just before school let out, Carroll Elementary School in Bernalillo came alive with vibrant sights and sounds for its annual Cultural Day. The event brought together students, teachers and the community to celebrate diverse cultures through music, dance and art.
For over a decade, Cultural Day has been a tradition at the school, celebrating the community’s heritage. This year’s event, held in the school’s kinder courtyard on May 10, featured performances ranging from traditional Peruvian dances to a song in Filipino. Beyond being a fun event for the students, Cultural Day aims to educate the community about various cultures.
“What makes our Cultural Day so special, is it brings everybody together and everybody’s involved,” Alicia Maestas, kindergarten dual language teacher said.
During Cultural Day, students share their heritage and celebrate diverse cultures both locally and globally. This event educates the community about different cultures while nurturing awareness and pride among the students.
In addition to the children’s performances, the festivities featured authentic dancers and musicians. Los Matachines de Bernalillo involved students in their dances, teaching them the rich stories and histories conveyed through this form of religious dance. Additionally, a mariachi band performed, playing songs for the students.
The teachers of each class choose which culture their students will celebrate and learn about. Leading up to Cultural Day, each class spends time exploring the cultures and traditions of their chosen places. Parents helped to make costumes with the students.
Maestas said her class did a Peruvian dance, so they got to learn about Peruvian culture. They learned that on Aug. 1 each year, Peruvians celebrate llamas, decorating and dressing them up in bright colors.
“I had them make a little llama and then decorated the llama, dressed him up and then we wrote about it a little bit,” Maestas said.
The class performances were diverse and vibrant: one class performed a Spanish dance, others showcased Mexican baile folklórico dances, and some did a pueblo dance. Popular American songs and dances, such as the Cha Cha Slide and the Cupid Shuffle, were also included.
“(The students) love it,” Maestas said. “They love to practice, they love to sing and they love to dance.”
“It really feels like it brings the whole school together,” Maestas said.
The spirit of celebration and cultural pride extends beyond the school.
Much like Cultural Day, Las Fiestas de San Lorenzo is held each year to honor Bernalillo’s patron saint, San Lorenzo. The three days of festivities include traditional dances by Los Matachines, which bring together people of all ages and the students to celebrate their shared heritage and traditions.
The 331st annual Las Fiestas de San Lorenzo will be held Aug. 9-11 at Rotary Park.