Re-enactments of las posadas (“the inns”) emerge as much beloved components of traditional Christmas celebrations in Spanish-speaking cultures within:
• Caribbean, Central, North and South America;
• Europe.
They gather people, places, and props together for processing through:
• rivers, with José y María (“Joseph and Mary”) occupying the first boat, in San Antonio, Texas;
• streets, with Santa Cruz’s villagers performing spoken and sung roles, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Such processions include daily commitments throughout the nine days culminating in Christmas Eve for communicants in Spain. They involve devilish innkeepers denying the Holy Couple five times, to the crowds’ boos and hisses.
Processions always lead to cookies and hot chocolate at the stable in “The Night of Las Posadas.”
Comments
Mira, You are welcome. Mexican and Latin American literatures are distinctive in the worlds which they create in readers' imaginations. The journey through their literatures may be challenging because of unfamiliar symbolism but it is rewarding. I hope that you are able to find the time to pursue your interest, book by book.
Yes, I had forgotten about the luminarias :) Thank you so much for spotlighting these customs and cultures! It makes me realize how much I truly want to read more Mexican and Latin American literature.
Mira, It's quite a sight to see the candlelit, sand-filled paper-bag lanterns (farolitos) and the controlled bonfires (luminarias). There's such a sense of ancientness, timelessness, and timeliness in a setting such as New Mexico. It's a new state (just since 1912) with centuries of Hispanic and Native American cultures preceding that event.
The farolitos are wonderful on those buildings.
I understand from your article that it's a tradition to go from one inn to another in reenactment of Mary and Joseph's comings and goings. Hot chocolate and cookies sounds fabulous. Wonderful custom :)