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The Posadas (Seeking lodging) - A Christmas tradition of almost 400 years |
Original Spanish text created and published by the University of Guadalajara
Text Translation by: Marianne Klahre
December, 2005 - Leer Español |
The Posadas, traditional parties at the end of the year, have taken place in Mexico for 398 years.
Let us go back beyond the colonial period.
In the winter season the ancient Mexicans celebrated the coming of Huitzilopochtli, the war God that was carried out in the month called Panquetzaliztli, which corresponds to the lapse that goes from the 7 th to the 26 th of December in the present juliano calendar, a season that coincides with the European practice of Christmas.
Probably it was the Augustine monks that promoted the substitution of characters in these festivities in their task of evangelization, disappearing Huitzilopochtli from the cult but maintaining the celebration during the same period, with different characteristics and following the Christian tradition.
The monks, who were in charge of the evangelization, represented in the posadas the pilgrimage of Joseph and Mary, leaving Nazareth , going to Bethlehem and subsequently the birth of Jesus. This representation conforms to 9 posadas that start on December 16 th and consist of asking for lodging during this symbolical journey to Bethlehem until the 24 th , date of the birth of Jesus.
One of the places where the Augustine monks settled was the small village of San Augustine Acolman , located some 40 k northeast of Mexico City on the way to Teotihuacan . The practice of the posadas originated in this place, when Fray Diego of Soria obtained a permit from Pope Sixto V in 1587, where he authorized the celebration in New Spain of some masses called " aguinaldo" , between the 16 th and 24 th of December and which were performed on the porches of the church. Christmas landscapes and scenes were inserted in between those masses.
 As an attraction luces de bengala, rockets, piñatas and villancicos were added, popular chants that were carried out during different festivities including Christmas. These chants were known and recreated by the population of Mexico . In the 18 th century, Carlos III prohibited these chants. Even though they were put into practice again after his death, they had already lost their roots in the population.
Therefore, in the beginning the posadas were not as we know them today. From the aguinaldo masses on the porches of the churches they passed to form a part of the family and neighborhood ritual in the 18 th century and even though they did not disappear completely from the churches, in the homes they acquired a major popularity.
This transition, from the temple to the people occurred with the interest that more people might have access to and participation in those celebrations and this is how they have been transformed according to their possibilities and their own cultural characteristics.
It was the census ordered by Cesar Augustus that forced Joseph and Mary to move from Nazareth to Bethlehem where Jesus would be born and since the posadas remember this fact, the custom of showing off the holy pilgrims was incorporated.
In Mexico , Geronimo of Mendieta refers that Saint John of Bejar was the one who contributed most to spreading the posadas, even though this custom also took roots due to the fact that concepcionistas nuns sent the holy pilgrims on a solemn visit to the distinct convents, a custom that became general amongst the families of New Spain .
Several elements were added to the posadas, offering food to the individuals, food that varied depending on the region, dance, already included during the colonial time, and the petition of aguinaldos , turned over to groups of children and young people.
The posadas of the 20 th century arrived with these elements, stripped fairly well of the religiousness which initially had given them life. Speaking of some, they remain as a pagan manifestation, full of elements that arose from the contributions of the people, a manifestation that acquired its peculiarities in each place in order to create a proper expression.
The organization would vary according to the place where it was carried out. An almost completely forgotten tradition is that of the "crown of Advent", carried by young girls, made with flowers and branches in between which 4 candles are inserted, 3 of a purple color, symbolizing the Advent Sundays of penance, and one white one, representing the victory of hope with the arrival of the Messiah.
For many researchers the posadas were used by the missionaries in order to be able to explain to the natives the 9 months of Mary's pregnancy, since it was a bit difficult to make them understand that it had been through the work and the grace of the Holy Spirit.
In various villages in Jalisco the posadas are held in the streets which are previously decorated with strings of hay and lamps. And in many other villages the traditional clay pilgrims are substituted for live elements, causing a greater emotiveness amongst the participants.
The most important thing of the traditional posadas is that they unite the neighborhood or the community, due to the fact that the days are divided amongst one family or a group of families. They enter a friendly competition and above all they have a greater splendor of Christmas joy.
Inexorably the posadas loose their purpose, they have been hoaxed, and much of what we were and what we still are, we have lost and we are allowing it to escape. Foreign influences, evil for our way of being, of acting and of thinking, have arrived with abominable innovations to adulterate everything, to contaminate our customs, that which is ours, that which is authentic, and in this case our posadas.
Nowadays most of the time they have been changed to noisy dances without the journey of the pilgrims through the house or the courtyard of the neighborhood. The guijolas have turned numb, neither the small multi-colored candles burn anymore, nor the luces de bengala nor the lamps are lit. Abundant alcohol replaces the traditional pomegranate, tamarind or jamaica [Hibiscus] punches etc.
And everything changes, everything is a continuous mutation of customs, ideas, traditions and so on. But there is no temple, church or chapel however small it may be, that does not put up a Nativity scene during the period from December 16 th to January 6 th , sometimes with truly precious sculptures or clay figures, made in Tonalá or Tlaquepaque and the posadas are celebrated with religious chants, guijolas, panderos, triangles, etc., to create a greater joy in the participants.
Original Spanish text created and published by the University of Guadalajara
Text Translation by: Marianne Klahre
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