It’s hard for me to describe my excitement when I first heard that the new Disney•Pixar movie Coco would be released this year. I have actually been following the story of the making of Coco for a while and it fills my heart with joy to see Disney embracing my culture and pulling together the talent of so many amazing Latinos to create a loving and warm depiction of the Day of the Dead holiday. We love Disney and I really appreciate that Disney has taken the time to make sure that Coco stays “culturally honest”, in the words of director Lee Unkrich (Up, Toy Story 3). From recording el Son Jarocho (Mexican folk music) in Mexico and putting together a cultural consultant group to an all Latino cast, it’s clear that Disney recognizes the responsibility that comes with creating a movie that focuses on such an important Latino tradition.
I have always loved traditions and stories, specially family stories. As a child there was nothing more exciting for me than going to my grandmother’s house, which was filled with antiques and family heirlooms. I would always ask her to show me old photo albums and old souvenirs from her travels or antiques that used to belong to my great grandparents: a silver brush, a doll, my great grandfather’s military uniform or my great grandmother’s paintings. I would listened in awe to the stories about revolutions, coups and horse drawn carriages and feel myself being transported as I surrounded myself with photos and memories of my ancestors.
When the Day of the Dead came around and our entire family got together everyone would tell stories about grandparents, great grandparents and even lost cousins. It was a happy time to remember and just for a moment it felt as though all of those family members that has passed away where there, among us, coming alive in everyone’s memories and filling our hearts. Reminiscing about deceased loved ones bring them back in a very real way. By remembering them and even learning about those ancestors you never got a chance to meet you ensure that they live on in every family member’s heart and are never forgotten. The Day of the Dead is a pretty amazing holiday, it’s a time to share with family, to learn about family and to strengthen family bonds! There are not gifts to shift the kid’s attention to material things: it’s all about family, tradition and bonding.
Now that we live in the US away from extended family it’s even more important for me to celebrate this beloved holiday with my kids and get an opportunity to share with them all about those family members they never met and tell them about our family’s history and traditions. However celebrating a holiday none of their friends celebrate can be difficult at times, they are not surrounded by these traditions like I was growing up in Guatemala. This is why Coco means so much to me and to my family: it brings the tradition and meaning of The Day of the Dead into the “mainstream”, it shows my kids that the country they call home embraces their culture and it provides a healthy dose of Latino culture to those who are not familiar with the meaning of the Day of the Dead; which is much more than colorful sugar skulls. But above all Coco is delivering a positive depiction of Latinos devoid of those painful stereotypes that are so common in movies and TV, as you can see in the trailer below. (Unlike the last animated movie about the Day of the Dead, “The Book of Life”, which in my opinion got it all wrong with it’s drunk mariachis and curvaceous heroine!)
Now I do want to clarify that Guatemalan traditions surrounding the Day of the Dead are quite different than Mexican traditions, which this movie focuses on, but the meaning of the holiday is the same. Since we moved to the United States we have adopted many Mexican traditions like creating an altar with photos of our loved ones that have passed away since we can’t go to the cemetery and bring flowers to the graves of our deceased family members. We have many children’s books about the Day of the Dead, all of them depicting the Mexican traditions, that have helped us explain the history and meaning of the holiday to our kids so they really identify more with the Mexican traditions and they are really excited to see Coco!
I know that like my family, many Latino families identify with Coco and celebrate this movie that embraces Latino culture in such a loving and beautiful way. There are so many things we identified with from our love for tamales and music, to our strong family bonds and honoring and remembering loved ones that have passed away through traditional Dia de los Muertos foods.
You can read more about Disney•Pixar’s COCO by visiting the Disney Movie website HERE. For even more fun ways to teach kids about Día de los Muertos and its traditions, be sure to read my article about the best Day of the Dead movies for kids. And for more ways to reinforce and empower kids to celebrate their Hispanic heritage check out my favorite Hispanic children’s books featuring Latino characters that empower kids to embrace their Latino identity. These books, written by Latino authors, highlight the experiences of Latino youth growing up bicultural and bilingual in the U.S., making them perfect for readers of all ages. You can also check out my articles about celebrating Latino culture during Hispanic Heritage Month.
Disney COCO Movie Free Printables and Activities
After watching the movie check out these Coco-themed crafts and free printables, perfect for a fun Coco movie-inspired party or activity. It includes free coloring pages for characters like Dante, Miguel, Ernesto, and Hector, along with a printable template for creating Coco‘s guitar. Additionally, readers can find instructions for making paper marigolds and a fun maze activity. The article also suggests related activities like alebrijes paper crafts and a Coco “Remember Me” lotería game.
Discover More About Disney Pixar’s COCO with These Articles
If you’re as captivated by COCO as many are, these additional articles provide a deeper look into the movie’s cultural significance, characters, and the creative work behind the scenes. From learning about the inspiration behind the film to understanding its portrayal of Mexican traditions, these articles will help you appreciate COCO even more. Whether you’re curious about the animation process or how the film shines a light on Latino culture, these articles have something for everyone and will make watching the movie so much more meaningful.
- Getting A Sneak Peek At Disney Pixar’s COCO Movie
This article gives you an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how Coco was made, including details on the animation process and cultural research. - COCO Takes You On A Musical Journey Through The Sounds Of Mexico
Discover how COCO uses authentic Mexican music to enhance the story, taking viewers on a rich and vibrant musical journey.
- Bringing Skeletons To Life
Learn how Pixar animators created the lively skeleton characters in Coco and made them fun, colorful, and full of personality.
- 10 Interesting Facts About COCO’s Character Dante
Find out fun facts about Dante, the lovable dog in COCO, and how he was inspired by real-life Mexican hairless dogs called Xoloitzcuintli. This is one of my most popular COCO articles, everyone wants to know more about the funny and quirky pup Dante.
- Promoting Positive Latino Role Models
COCO highlights positive Latino role models, showcasing a strong cultural identity and the importance of family values. - COCO Shines A Spotlight On Mexican Folk Art Bringing Alebrijes To Life
This article explores how COCO features Mexican folk art, especially the magical creatures called alebrijes, and their cultural significance.
- A Movie About Ancestors, Memories And Familia
This article delves into the heart of COCO, focusing on the film’s themes of family, honoring ancestors, and preserving memories.
More Day of the Dead Activities and Crafts For Kids
Here are some more fun Day of the Dead activities and crafts for kids that will help them celebrate the holiday while learning about its traditions. From creative crafts to festive treats, these ideas are perfect for getting everyone involved in the spirit of Día de los Muertos!
Make a Sugar Skull Quilling Project with Your Kids
This Easy Day of the Dead Craft teaches kids how to make a sugar skull using the art of paper quilling. By rolling and shaping strips of colorful paper, kids can create a fun and decorative sugar skull to celebrate Día de los Muertos. It’s an easy and creative project that helps kids learn about the holiday while making a unique decoration.
Paint Sugar Skull Pumpkins for Day of the Dead
In this Sugar Skull Pumpkins craft, kids can paint pumpkins with bright colors and sugar skull designs for a fun twist on Day of the Dead traditions. This project is easy and perfect for decorating your home for Día de los Muertos while involving children in the creative process. It’s a festive and unique way to celebrate the holiday with a fun craft.
Create a Sugar Skull Paper Garland with Your Kids
The Sugar Skull Paper Garland craft is a simple and colorful way for kids to help decorate for Día de los Muertos. Using colorful cardstock, children can cut out and decorate paper skulls to string together into a garland. This easy craft is perfect for teaching kids about the meaning of sugar skulls and adding festive flair to your celebration.
Bake Pan de Muerto with Fun Variations
This Easy Pan de Muerto Recipe walks you through making the traditional sweet bread used during Día de los Muertos. You can also add fun variations like making pan de muerto calaverita decorated with sugar skull designs, or filling the pan de muerto with Mexican hot chocolate ice cream or marigold cream for a special twist. These playful variations are sure to make your Day of the Dead celebration extra delicious and memorable.
Make Day of the Dead Skeleton Cookies
Day of the Dead Skeleton Cookies are an easy and fun recipe where you decorate skeleton designs on sugar cookies using icing. This simple recipe is great for kids who want to get involved in the kitchen while learning about Día de los Muertos. The cookies are perfect for a festive treat to share with family and friends.
Cook with Marigolds: Easy Recipes for Día de los Muertos
These Easy Recipes Using Marigolds (cempasúchil) are a unique and flavorful way to honor Día de los Muertos. Try delicious options like Marigold Flan, Cempasúchil Cream-Filled Pan de Muerto, or Marigold Atole, each using the bright and symbolic marigold flower. These recipes add a special touch to your holiday table and are a beautiful way to connect with tradition.
Throw a Day of the Dead Themed Party
Celebrate Día de los Muertos with a lively and colorful party featuring fun decorations like a sugar skull piñata garland and and let the kids make their own creative sugar skull masks . Keep the festivities sweet with kid-friendly treats like sugar skull fruit pizza (one of my favorite Day of the Dead desserts), these super easy to make white chocolate-covered strawberries, and if you really want to take your Dia de los Muertos party to the next level this festive Day of the Dead cake with buttercream frosting is a must! For a unique dessert, try making coconut pumpkin budin shaped into into a sugar skull to delight your guests! Get some more Day of the Dead party ideas and free printable here!
Paula studied architecture and now makes a living as a freelance writer,traveler and amateur photographer.She started her writing & publishing career as the editor of Bebé y Mamá, the first parenting magazine in Guatemala.She is the founder of www.GrowingUpBilingual.com and www.365thingsswfl.com and writes articles in Spanish and English for both magazines and the web on travel,food and bicultural and bilingual parenting .
When she is not on a plane or road trip she likes to create recipes inspired in the flavors of her native Guatemala.
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Paula this movie seems to be emotional and exciting at the same time! I can’t wait to watch it with my kids!
I almost cried just watching the trailer. We can’t wait to see it.
Esa película promete estar espectacular.. Espero con ansia su estreno. Gracias por informarme con más detalle sobre ella.
Me encanta la historia, el tema y el héroe! Contando los dias para el estreno. 🙂
I want to see the movie already thanks for sharing.
We’re counting the days!
Sounds very interesting! Thank for sharing.
Yes I think it will be a very interesting movie because of how it explores the Day of the Dead holiday and it’s meaning.
This article is great, and I’m also very excited for this movie.
Btw, the directors name is Lee Unkrich not Urlich 🙂
Thanks Matthew, I appreciate it! I have corrected the directors last name. 🙂
Me encantó tu artículo Paula, creo que serías muy buena escritora!
Gracias Kena! 🙂
Sorry, it´s not “latino” culture, it´s Mexican culture. Chilean, Venezuelans, Salvadorians, etc dont have anything to do with the Day of the Death that was originated form the Aztecs. The credit is only in Mexico, give credit when credit is due.
Hi Gerardo. Yes, Coco is about a Mexican tradition but I am from Guatemala and we celebrate the Day of the Dead. This article is about how this movie is important to Latino families like mine. I am not Mexican but I strongly identify with this movie as so do many Latinos.