Most likely few among you have ever heard about the caganer, a beloved figure present in every Catalan home at this Christmas time --albeit discreetly hidden behind a bush, in a corner of the Nativity scene.The origin of such tradition went lost long ago, but it seems to have existed since at least 18th or late 17th century, during the Baroque period. About its real meaning, only guessings can be made, although some folklorists have ventured to linmk it to ancient Pagan fertility believings.
If ever happening to visit Barcelona by Christmas time, do not forget to visit the traditional Saint Lucia Fair (Fira de Santa Llúcia), an improvised market plentiful with hundreds of stands selling all sorts of figures, diorama and dollhouse pieces for your Nativity scene (=pessebre), Christmas trees and wreaths, artcrafts and... thousands of caganers!!
And believe me, you are by no means famous enough, if you haven't yet a caganer sculpted after your own. Here you are a few examples:
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| Pope Benedict XVI | Queen Elizabeth & Prince of Wales |
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| Shakira & Piqué | Darth Vader |
...and Merry Christmas to you all!
3 comments:
A genial tradition!
Now I'm suspecting Lady Elisenda to have introduced it in Monte-Cristo, when she was a merry young student and not yet a Highness :)
Merry XMas and a Happy New Year!
Jean-Louis
A most Merry Christmas to you, sir. And a wonderful New Year filled with toys and memorable games.
-- Jeff
Ha! Merry Christmas, and many thanks for all your hard work on the books this year!
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