Halloween has always held special significance to me. Being
born in late October makes it somewhat inevitable, I suppose, but I’m also just
a fan of spooky stuff.
Perhaps it is surprising, perhaps not, but most of the world
doesn’t celebrate Halloween nor do they know much about it. Sure Canadians, the
Irish, and those in the UK tend to have their own interpretations as does
Mexico with Dia de Los Muertos—albeit a separate holiday altogether, but when
it boils down to it, Halloween is culturally associated with the US (though
borrowed from elsewhere, like everything else!).
Because most cultures are unfamiliar with the nuance, history,
and purpose for celebrating Halloween I take special pride in introducing it. I
consider it a kind of duty. When I lived in South Korea I made a big deal of it
to my students, making Halloween-themed crafts and introducing all kinds of
iconic figures of Halloween lore. In Senegal I volunteered for the October
assembly and had my 5th grade students do a modified performance of
Michael Jackson’s Thriller. So it is only natural to assume I ought to do something
here in Bhutan, a place where most kids don’t even have a concept of what a
hamburger is, let alone a candy-filled, costume-wearing, spook-tastic holiday
devoted to embracing an otherwise taboo subject: death.
I decided to test out the waters by integrating the history
of Halloween into one of the units I was teaching to Class VI. A buzz came over
the group as the lesson went on, evident by their outbursts and incessant line
of questioning. I could tell they craved more so I asked if they would be
interested in celebrating Halloween, which was met with a resounding ‘yes’. I
told them I would think it over and get back to them.
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| Jack-o'-lantern courtesy of a student's ingenuity with a melon |
The task then fell to me. I brainstormed potential party
ideas and general logistics, not easy given a lack of resources. A school-wide
celebration would, unfortunately, be out of the question, but if I threw one
for all 3 sections of Class VI, totaling 99 students, then I could somehow
arrange activities to engage each and every student. I resigned to the fact
that some students in other classes would be disappointed and told them they
could speak to their class teachers about a party if they were interested. In
the end only Class VIII followed up on that idea.
My students were insistent that they wear costumes to the
party. I didn’t think it would be all that feasible, but they assured me they
could finagle outfits of their own design out of common materials. Having seen
their ability to make all kinds of knick-knacks from cardboard, wood, and generic
recycling, I gave it the OK. They cheered.
During my free time I designed 6 game stations, which would
be the first part of a 3-stage party. All games included simple supplies like
plastic bottles, string, paper, and toilet paper. Then, taking advantage of the
decentralization policy implemented at my school, I assigned groups to hunt
these items down. I also capitalized on my large class sizes to design decorations
and help with set-up. Not only does this allow for a more efficient setup, but
it teaches the students about taking ownership, working together, and
party-planning. Win-win.
The day of the party, October 30th, was a busy
day. With the principal’s permission and help of the support staff, I had
unencumbered access to the multi-purpose hall—a perfect venue for the event.
Students helped with the decorations while I set up the stations. The event
would then take place after school was finished.
Around 3:45 students started to enter the hall. They were
dressed as vampires, ghouls, mummies, princesses, and more—all in outfits that
would put MacGyver to shame. The makeup and props were pretty good, too. I even
noticed a couple vampires sporting fangs made from plastic straws. Genius! By 4
pm they were in their assigned teams and ready for their first station.
There was a mummy-wrap contest, a skeleton-building relay
race, pin-the-boo-on-the-ghost, bowling, an egg relay, and a bobbing for apples
competition. Sure they’re not all perfectly aligned with the theme, but that
didn’t seem to bother them. The grade was split into 12 groups, allowing for
manageable 8-person teams. Unfortunately the other teachers were required to
practice a dance for the 4th King’s upcoming 60th birthday
(an important number considering the 12 eastern zodiac signs and 5 elements,
culminating in a 60-year cycle) which left me to oversee the entire thing by
myself. But I had explained the rules prior and made all activities relatively
self-sufficient. The reality turned out to be more like semi-contained chaos as
I spent the next hour running around like a chicken with my head cut off, but the
kids were having fun which is the most important part.
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| Making mummies |
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| Skeleton relay |
At the end of the games session we all convened in the
middle to exchange candy (trick or treating not being an option). I handed out
the candy corn my parents had sent me through the mail and took note of the student’s
costumes for our upcoming contest. The students chatted and took pictures while
I set up for the final portion of the evening’s program, a scary (but not too
scary) movie.
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| Feeling spoooooky |
With only a few candles keeping the MPH lit, the students
enjoyed the thrills and scares of the movie, snacking with their friends. They
really seemed to have a good time. At the end the students were allowed to go
home, but most stayed to help clean up anyway—and it was their idea! A few
asked if they could walk back with me because they were afraid, so the lot of
us walked back in the darkness under a clear sky and thousands of stars. By their
post-party conversation, I could tell it had been a success. Hopefully the
night will be something they remember for a long time.
