Sumac Mushuc Wata is kichwa for Happy New Year, friends! I spent my new years night in the reflection of fire, fireworks and friends in Tena. Ecuador has a tradition for the new year that involves making a doll of old clothes stuffed with paper or paper maché to represent the last year (some are cute, politically incorrect or abstract, like mine).
They´re called `año viejos´ to signify the old year. My friend Mary and I wrote things from the previous year that we wanted to come to an end and also things to celebrate for the upcoming year... Then at midnight you burn it.
All throughout New Year´s Eve, men dress up like women and ask passing cars for pennies and nickels as they will soon be `widows´. There are also traditions that say to eat 12 grapes to be prosperous for each month of the upcoming year, wear yellow undies for a year full of health, red for love and romance (I wore blue!?!), and put empty suitcases outside your house to find traveling in the new year... ¡CHEERS TO A NEW YEAR AND NEW BEGINNINGS!
1 comment:
happy new year, friend! love ya, the lee crew
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