The last day of September was an ideal Saturday for a skate at Kraken Community Iceplex and, for a gaggle of kids, the opportune time to learn how to create a papel picado.
“We had so many little kids at one point, they were all eager to see what was up,” said Amaranta Ibarra-Sandys, a south Seattle visual artist and graduate of Ceramics and Mexican Folk Art at the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes in her hometown of Mexico City. “Muslim families [attending free skates] came, too, and had no idea about the festivity. But I am always pleased to share and introduce my heritage.”
Ibarra-Sandys did just that by showing the children how to make a papel picado, a must-have party or fiesta decoration for celebrations among Mexicans whether official holidays, weddings, or a recent birthday. The craft is cut paper but with the intent to achieve intricate designs and patterns that evoke equal parts awe and delight.
The result is flags and banners of all shapes and sizes to be displayed as art with a personal touch. Tissue paper is the common and widespread medium, but plastic and other materials are used. The practice dates back to the Aztecs and evolved as the Spanish settled in Mexico, bringing the more readily available tissue paper (both white and vibrant colors) and an infatuation with the decorative art form that adorned homes, streets, and temples.
As the kids gathered around Ibarra-Sandys on that late-September Saturday and discovered the joy of making cuts that unfolded to fun, detailed patterns, there was more activity and happiness on Iceplex rinks. Two of the day’s public skating sessions featured dedicated themes Hispanic Heritage Month, which covers Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 each year. The open skates included raffles for gift cards to the family-owned tamale shop and Mexican restaurant, Frelard Tamales, with locations in Seattle and Bellingham.
The Iceplex and Kraken organization were purposeful in honoring Hispanic heritage during the month-long awareness and recognition. Throughout Kraken Community Iceplex, special displays highlighted current Hispanic and Latin American individuals in hockey. Two standouts: Toronto Maple Leafs’ 26-year-old star and alternate captain Auston Matthews (he just scored his 300th NHL goal on an opening night three-goal “hat trick”) who identifies as half Mexican. Also, current Minnesota Wild general manager, Bill Guerin, who is of Nicaraguan descent and has the honor of being the first Hispanic player in the NHL during a career in which he debuted in 1992, played 18 seasons, and won two Stanley Cups.
What’s more, the team and Kraken Community Iceplex supported the Intentionalist Receipt and Receive program that offers rewards to community members who support small businesses owned by people from Latinx, Hispanic, and Latino/a communities.
To personalize the dedicated month, the Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena celebrated staff of Hispanic and Latin American descent by creating a “Cosas Favoritas” series to fete those staffers’ favorite things. It turned out to be both an educational and a successful bonding opportunity.
As the month finished, one more bonding moment was surefire. On Oct. 3, the team hosted local family-owned, Venezuelan restaurant Paparepas (locations in Capitol Hill, Kent, and a roving food truck) at Kraken Community Iceplex. The restaurant served traditional Venezuelan fare (arepas, empanadas, tequenos, and the traditional pabellon rice dish with stewed black beans and shredded beef) Paparepas team member Venus Requena spoke to Kraken staff about the natural connection between origin foods and sharing cultural ways.
