In every Mexican village, there is a housewife every couple of blocks who supplements her income, year round, by making all sizes, shapes and designs of piñatas. There are tiny ones small enough to be hung on the branches of a Christmas tree, others that are favors for birthday party guests and others that are four feet long-or more.
These days, while most piñatas look like Shrek, Sleeping Beauty, lambs, dogs, Christmas trees, snowmen, poinsettias and even Santa Claus, the most traditional design, still in use after many centuries, is a Sputnik-like style with five to seven points. The cantero is covered with fringed tissue paper and has tassels dangling from shiny paper cone-shaped points. This piñata is so traditional for Christmas that last year enormous piñatas hanging from the ceiling decorated el Templo de San Andrés, Ajijic's parish church.
Although the piñata originated in China, the traditional party favorite traveled along the trade routes to Italy where it was called la pigata (the pineapple). It gained popularity across Europe just in time for Spanish Franciscan missionaries to bring the tradition of the simple clay jar covered with layers of colorful tissue paper to the new world to demonstrate a morality lesson.
According to the Franciscans, the decorated clay jar represents Satan who also wears an attractive mask to attract and mislead humans.
Here are some of the other symbols hidden in the tradition of the piñata:
· The seven points of the traditional star-shaped Christmas piñata represent the seven deadly sins.
· The candy in the piñata's inner clay pot stands for the pleasures Satan offers man to attract him to the underworld.
· The blindfolded person represents faith, which must be blind, and is guided only by the voices of others to destroy evil.
· The stick used to break the piñata is a symbol of Christian goodness.
· The breaking of the piñata symbolizes the triumph of good over evil.
· The shower of candy and fruit is indicative of the unknown joys and rewards which the good and faithful will receive in Heaven.
At posadas and all other parties and fiestas at Lakeside, the handmade candy and fruit-filled piñatas are fastened onto a system of ropes and pulleys strung over the street or in a garden. The person in charge of the pulley jerks and pulls the rope to make the piñata swing low, sometimes scraping the street. Just as the child stumbles over the piñata at his feet and takes a mighty swing, the rope is pulled and the piñata is suddenly dangling high over his head.
While the children take turns trying to break the decorated clay jar, the assembled crowd shrieks encouragement and assistance. Instead of directing the designated hitter with "Left, left" or "Right, right," the savvy observers give directions to the blindfolded child by naming the towns to the east and west. In Ajijic, they cry out, "Chapala!" "No, no, Jocotepec, Jocotepec."
One candy-filled piñata is never enough for any event of any size. It takes at least three to meet local traditions. The larger kids wait while the smallest children try to break the first piñata. Succeeding piñatas are assigned to the older girls and then the next is for the boys.
When the treats spill onto the cobblestones, the children scramble for the candy-unless of course it's been one of those occasions when the piñata didn't fully break and one clever child runs away with the remains of the piñata and all of the candy.
When there are several piñatas for the boys to break, you can be sure that one will be filled with flour mixed with a few coins. Watching them sputter and wipe the flour from their faces so they can find the money among the cobblestones is an experience all in itself.
Like nearly everything about life in Mexico, the traditions with which Christmas is celebrated are very different from the caroling, Yule logs, stockings hung by the chimney with care and arrival of old St. Nick. One set of traditions is not more right than the other-they're just different! What a joy to be able to experience both.
Viva la Diferencia!
Feliz Navidad
