High School Altar Competition

In the week before Janal Pixán (the Maya version of Day of the Dead celebrated here on the Yucatan Peninsula), the CBTis high school has an altar competition where students compete to build the best, most authentic altar.

Janal Pixán Alter Mexico

Altars are a huge part of the Maya tradition and across Mexico for Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) and the items and decorations placed upon them have different meanings. Altars generally consist of 3 to 7 levels and these levels represent the three different dimensions: the heavens, earth, and the underworld. The deceased's favorite foods, personal belongings, incense, candles and flowers are placed on the altars to guide our lost ones home, along with their photographs which are placed on the highest part of the altar.The students, some of which attend Na'atik, take the competition very seriously wearing traditional dress and makeup in the style of La Calavera Catrina.

Take a look at some of the beautiful altars that the students of CBTis High School created for the 2019 altar competition.

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The best way to experience the Mexican lifestyle is in person, with a Na’atik Immersion experience. Not only do you live with a local Mexican-Maya family, sharing home-cooked meals and free time, but also receive expert instruction in your chosen language at our school. Best of all, every immersion experience helps fund our subsidized and free local education program, helping local students to access opportunities and make their own futures.