Saturday 29 December 2007

Caganer. A new character.






In Catalonia, as well as in other southern Europe countries the traditional Christmas decoration is a Nativity Scene but trying to show the entire town of Bethlehem rather than just the typical Nativity cave, showing not only Maria, Joseph and Christ but also shepards, the three wise men, farmers, black smith…The Catalans have added an extra character known as the Caganer is often tucked away in some corner of the model, typically nowhere near the manger scene, where he is not easily noticed, there’s a clear reason, Caganer can be translated as Pooper, and that is exactly what this little statue is doing — defecating. The Caganer represents the equality of all people: regardless of status, race, gender everyone defecates. Caganers are easy to find before Christmas in markets. Traditionaly it was wearing a traditional shepard dress with tha Barretina hat but nowadays there Caganers that represent many famous people, from politicians, fotball players, singer, actors or kings and Popes. Children always try to find where the cagaber is in every “Presepio” they found. Here you can see a traditional one, on representing a painter Salvador Dalí and one from the Pope.