The knee jerk reaction to New Year’s is reflection. It’s a time to remember the best, let go of the worst and look forward to what’s in store for the upcoming year. In Ecuador, celebrating New Year’s literally involves quemando el viejo (burning the previous year) to usher in the new. How you might ask? With something memorable and over the top, of course.
First, meet los viejos.
To the untrained eye they look like a class art project gone too far, but in reality they’re some of the many personifications of 2017 floating around Ecuador this time of year. In this case, the faces are made from paper mâche. The heads are left over balloons from Halloween. And the secret to those bulky arms and rock hard abs? Balled up magazine pages. Although these homemade viejos don’t represent anyone in particular, others are made in the likeness of politicians or that sassy neighbor who you know can take a joke.
On the coast, viejos get exchanged for monigotes, which are literally paper mâche sculptures of anything that might seem fun to burn. Over-sized Pickachu’s, superheroes and other classic cult characters go on display before meeting their inevitable demise.
In the days leading up to New Year’s it’s customary to convivir (break bread) with friends and say some words to remember the Año Viejo (the past year). To close the gathering, the viejos or monigotes get lit and the flames do the rest.
Great for the environment? Probably not– but I won’t pretend I didn’t have fun making the viejos pictured above through the local foundation I work with at site. While I won’t make a habit of burning them every year, I think the spirit behind the tradition embodies something we can all use: the willingness to laugh at ourselves, let go and move forward with grace.
¡Feliz año nuevo a todos! ¡Qué prosperen en 2018! (Happy New Years to everyone! May you thrive in 2018!)
Zero Degrees Latitude 