Hispanic Heritage Month Starts Sept. 15 and ends Oct. 15. Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the different Hispanic cultures and histories. It is celebrated by people around the world. 

Hispnaic Heritage Month started as a project 54 years ago by President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan into a month. It was created to recognize the rights, culture, and of course history of Hispanic people. 

There are many traditions within the culture, starting off with quinceaneras. Quinceneras is a famous Latin Catholic celebration. The quinceanera is when the girl is going from childhood into her adult years. This shows the woman’s purity and that she is now ready for marriage. 

The common traditions with quinceaneras are the gown and accessories. The Quinceanera has a court which includes Chambelans and Damas much like a bridal party where they choose family or friends to be a part of. The quinceanera also has a religious ceremony in which she kneels on a pillow and commits herself to God and The Virgin Mary. After the ceremony they have a reception with music, family, friends, food, and dances. 

The Quinceneria has a father-daughter dance and also the quinceanera gets her shoes changed into heels from a male figure showing how she is now stepping into becoming a woman. Next there is toast to the daughter and they gather around and give a speech. After that they give the quinceanera her last doll. This is the last thing she will receive while being considered a child. 

 Another celebration during Hispanic Heritage Month is Dia De Los Muertos (Day Of The Dead). It is on Nov. 1 and ends the next day. Dia De Los Muertos is when families will bring back the memory or souls of the deceased. They decorate their graves and bring food and lead them back to celebrate. The movie Coco is a great example of explaining what Dia De Los Muertos means. 

Las Mananitas is also a tradition in the Hispanic community. They sing this to a loved one to honor them for their birthday. It is not just sung for a birthday though and it can also be sung on Mothers Day and on the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This is usually in Mexico and mariachis usually sing it.

Mrs. Jamie Youngblood is a Spanish teacher at Rockbridge County High School, and she teaches Spanish 1 and 2. 

“Hispanic Heritage Month is a time for me to pay respect to those who paved the way for people of all different backgrounds, inspiring everyone to follow their dreams,” said Youngblood.

RCHS has done a lot to show their support for Hispanic Heritage Month. 

“My Spanish 1 students completed collaborative posters of Hispanic Celebrities and these are hanging in the academic wing and in the library. These students also researched another celebrity with Hispanic heritage and posted their results on decorated pendants which are hanging in the academic wing and library,”

Youngblood continues, “Our Student Services Coordinator, Dr. Angie Wilder, and our ESL Coordinator, Mrs. Rachel Braun, have posted Hispanic Heritage facts on the TV announcements and shared quotes. Spanish and French Club celebrated the month in our first meeting of the school year on Sept. 23rd,” 

Youngblood also shared an important person with Hispanic heritage who sparked her love for the language.”

My Spanish-speaking world began in middle school when I heard Selena Quintanillia on the radio for the first time. I bought her album and sang every word not knowing what anything meant. Then I enrolled in Spanish 1 in highschool and could finally appreciate the lyrics I had been singing,” 

With all of this the Hispanic community and their traditions have been more accepted in the United States.

“I feel that Dia De los Muertos is becoming more accepted and commercialized in recent years. You can walk into Walmart or Target and see Calaveras (skulls) and Papel Picado. These are things not seen in our local department stores until recently. The movies The Book Of Life and Coco really opened the door for this celebration,” said Youngblood.