Las Posadas
Posted by profe on December 16, 2008
Filed under Para Explorar
The word posada means “lodging” and the tradition of Las Posadas in Mexico reenacts the journey undertaken by the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph on their way to Bethlehem, where they could not find a place to rest. Finally, they were given shelter in a stable.
There is a Posada every night beginning December 16 until the 24. People go to a host home, sing a traditional litany, enter the home, pray a Rosary before a Nativity scene, and have a party with a piñata, music and games. People drink ponche and eat candy, peanuts, oranges, mandarines and other seasonal fruits.
The song is a long call and response between a group of people outside the house representing Mary and Joseph and a group of people inside the house representing the innkeepers. Often, the men are outside and the women are inside. Once the outside group is allowed inside the house, the melody changes to the tune of “Entren Santos Peregrinos” (Enter, Holy Pilgrims). The following is the first call and response to the Posada carol:
Outside group:
En el nombre del cielo / In the name of Heaven
os pido posada / I beg you for lodging,
pues no puede andar / for she cannot walk
mi esposa amada. / my beloved wife.
Inside group:
Aquí no es mesón, / This is not an inn
sigan adelante / so keep going
Yo no debo abrir, / I cannot open
no sea algún tunante. / you may be a rogue.
-Get the complete lyrics and translation here.
-Get the sheet music.
The following video compiles the Posada carol from the animated movie “Los Tres Reyes Magos.” Like Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is a religious image depicted in a Mexican style, the movie portrays the Christian Nativity with Mexican motifs and music.
The song is the first 5 minutes 30 seconds:
This is what a Posada looks like in real life. The quality is not very good because it appears to have been taken with a cell phone:
Lee más información:
- Posadas y piñatas. (en inglés)
- Tradiciones navideñas mexicanas (en inglés y español)
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One Response to “Las Posadas”
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yoyo-master on December 17th, 2008 3:20 pm
Those videos were cool! See you in class tomorrow.