Josu
Emperor
So, we are in Xmas time.
I consider myself as agnostic, but here in basque country 24th/25th december are traditionally free days as basques have historically been fervently catholic.
We have a christmas character called Olentzero, a matey charcoal burner, who in last years(say last 30-40 years), comes to towns the 24th december at night bringing presents for kids.
Originally Olentzero was not a character, it was a season, winter season, which has strongly related to charcoal burners who went to towns in order to sell the charcoal. If charcoal was able to endure all night providing light and warm, we used to belive that this was going to be a good year. Those charcoal burners use to move either mounted in donkey or in a cart
In some towns a puppet was made, an Olentzero puppet and was burned while people sang some tradicional and folklore chants
Last decades it became a kind of santa or the spaniard's three wise men, and started to bring presents.
I was able to accept this changes, because when I was born Olentzero was allready bringing presents.
The last changes I have realised are that we have started to create a kind of ride through the town. Yesterday (yes, yesterday 23th), Olentzero came to Bilbao ridding a gigantic wood horse (such as in Troy), surrounded by elves (we have elves in basque mithology, but nothing to do with Olentzero, it is like putting Heracles and Midas in same story), whith impoluted clothing (remember we are talking about a charcoal burner) and throwing sweets. In order to achieve the sexual equality, now he is marching with his girlfriend, Maridomingi,a name that appears in one traditional song. In this song we ask maridomingi to use her best clothes because Olentzero is back in town. Just this.
So, I have been thinking about how traditions are changed for the sake of the consumerism, and my question is, is any tradition being prostituted in your country in the same way?
I consider myself as agnostic, but here in basque country 24th/25th december are traditionally free days as basques have historically been fervently catholic.
We have a christmas character called Olentzero, a matey charcoal burner, who in last years(say last 30-40 years), comes to towns the 24th december at night bringing presents for kids.
Originally Olentzero was not a character, it was a season, winter season, which has strongly related to charcoal burners who went to towns in order to sell the charcoal. If charcoal was able to endure all night providing light and warm, we used to belive that this was going to be a good year. Those charcoal burners use to move either mounted in donkey or in a cart
In some towns a puppet was made, an Olentzero puppet and was burned while people sang some tradicional and folklore chants
Last decades it became a kind of santa or the spaniard's three wise men, and started to bring presents.
I was able to accept this changes, because when I was born Olentzero was allready bringing presents.
The last changes I have realised are that we have started to create a kind of ride through the town. Yesterday (yes, yesterday 23th), Olentzero came to Bilbao ridding a gigantic wood horse (such as in Troy), surrounded by elves (we have elves in basque mithology, but nothing to do with Olentzero, it is like putting Heracles and Midas in same story), whith impoluted clothing (remember we are talking about a charcoal burner) and throwing sweets. In order to achieve the sexual equality, now he is marching with his girlfriend, Maridomingi,a name that appears in one traditional song. In this song we ask maridomingi to use her best clothes because Olentzero is back in town. Just this.
So, I have been thinking about how traditions are changed for the sake of the consumerism, and my question is, is any tradition being prostituted in your country in the same way?