|
|
|
Pinata (pronunciation: piñata), in its most essential form, is a bag full of candy. The pinata is proof positive that, Mexicans love their children to their heart's content. The piñata is a brightly-coloured paper container filled with sweets and/or toys. It is generally suspended on a rope from a tree branch or ceiling and is used during celebrations. A succession of blindfolded, stick-wielding children try to break the piñata in order to collect the sweets (traditionally fruit, such as sugarcane) and/or toys inside of it. It has been used for hundreds of years to celebrate special occasions such as birthdays and Christmas. There is no settled answer to the origin of the pinata. It is however most closely associated with the cultural traditions of Mexico. A celebration follows with the breaking of a pinata. This festival requires at least three people, preferable more: Joseph, Mary and the "innkeepers." (You can, of course use as many innkeepers as you have rooms or children.) At the end, while the figures are placed in the nativity, the Christmas story from Matthew or Luke may be read (in ours, assuming that those present are not familiar with Posadas, we have placed the reading earlier), with a party afterward. |
|
|
|
|
|
In the Mexican Catholic celebration
of Christmas, the piñata is traditionally shaped like a seven-pointed
star which represents the devil and the seven deadly sins, while the contents
are the goods or blessings he is withholding. Striking the devil with faith,
symbolized by being blindfolded, releases the blessings. While hitting the
piñata the following rhyme is sung:
Dale, dale,
dale,
No pierdas el tino
Porque si lo pierdes
pierdes el camino.
Dale, dale, dale
Dale y no le dio
Quítenle la prenda
¡Porque sigo yo!!
¡Se Acabó!
¡Sigo yo! |
|
| |
|
which translates
as:
Hit it, hit it, hit it
(or Go, go, go)
Don't lose your aim
Because if you lose it (your aim)
You will lose the path.
Hit it, hit it, hit it
(or Go, go, go)
Hit it, He didn't hit it
Take away his token
Because it's now my turn!
I'm next! |
|
Over the past couple decades, the piñata
tradition has been adopted by many Americans and has become a staple on America's
Funniest Home Videos. They are also commonly sold at both regular grocery
stores and Hispanic specialty supermarkets.
Directions for making a Pinata
Things
you need:
*
White glue
* Newspaper
* Round balloon
* Decorate materials
(crepe paper, tempra paints, etc)
* String
* A shallow dish
Directions:
Put down dewspaper, plastic, etc. to
confine the mess you are about to make! Rip pieces of newspaper into fairly
small strips (no more than a couple of inches wide and five or six inches
long). Put some white glue in a shallow dish, with enough water to make it
soupy. Blow up the balloon and tie it off. Pull strips through the glue mixture,
then apply them to the balloon, covering the entire surface with several layers.
At this point you may want to attach the string to the pinata by tying it
around the mache-covered balloon. Leave plenty of extra string. Then apply
eight or ten more layers of paper mache (depending on how delicate you want
the structure to be. Let it dry for a few days, then decorate it in any fashion
you desire, by painting, covering with crepe paper (fringed paper is traditional),
dangling ribbons from it, etc. Finally, cut a hole in the top, puncturing
the balloon, fill it with small candies and toys, and reseal. The pinata should
be hung in a room where there is plenty of room. It is hoisted above the children's
heads. Children take turns trying to break it with a stick (a thin bat is
good, or a broom stick). Each child is blindfolded, turned around several
times, and given several chances to try to hit the pinata. For older children,
set the pinata swinging. Make sure everyone else stands far back!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Directions for making a Pinata
Things
you need:
*
White glue
* Newspaper
* Round balloon
* Decorate materials
(crepe paper, tempra paints, etc)
* String
* A shallow dish
Directions:
Put down dewspaper, plastic, etc. to
confine the mess you are about to make! Rip pieces of newspaper into fairly
small strips (no more than a couple of inches wide and five or six inches
long). Put some white glue in a shallow dish, with enough water to make it
soupy. Blow up the balloon and tie it off. Pull strips through the glue mixture,
then apply them to the balloon, covering the entire surface with several layers.
At this point you may want to attach the string to the pinata by tying it
around the mache-covered balloon. Leave plenty of extra string. Then apply
eight or ten more layers of paper mache (depending on how delicate you want
the structure to be. Let it dry for a few days, then decorate it in any fashion
you desire, by painting, covering with crepe paper (fringed paper is traditional),
dangling ribbons from it, etc. Finally, cut a hole in the top, puncturing
the balloon, fill it with small candies and toys, and reseal. The pinata should
be hung in a room where there is plenty of room. It is hoisted above the children's
heads. Children take turns trying to break it with a stick (a thin bat is
good, or a broom stick). Each child is blindfolded, turned around several
times, and given several chances to try to hit the pinata. For older children,
set the pinata swinging. Make sure everyone else stands far back!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
