By Chloe Lacouture
Happy New Year from Manna Project International to you! As our volunteers and community members celebrate this holiday, it is important to appreciate all of the amazing traditions that Ecuador has in store for the celebration of the new year. Some traditions are similar to those preformed in the US, such as lots of fireworks and spending time with family. Others are unique and involve the whole community getting together to celebrate.
One of the most popular New Year’s traditions in Ecuador is the burning of a family’s “año viejo” (old year) or monigote. Ecuadorians fill old clothes with sawdust to create these figures that can look like a real person or an imaginary character with the addition of a mask. The monigote figures represent the old year that is burned in a bonfire at the stroke of midnight. Families sometimes create their monigotes to look like hated politicians that they hope will not be around next year. Some monigotes represent more traditional values, relating to religion or a personal meaning created by the family members. Some are purely for fun, such as cartoon characters and superheroes! Communities or neighborhoods may have a competition for who has made the best monigote, some even involve cash prices that go towards the drinking fund for the celebration. Los años viejos is a truly incredible experience for people with a great view of the city at midnight. Fires light up the night and people can be found dancing and jumping over the flames into the new year!
The bonfires never run out of fuel on New Year’s! The next tradition is to throw a letter into the fire that contains a list of all the things you hope to leave behind in the “old year.” Many people write about any hardships they have had or things that have stressed them out. Others have made it a tradition to write wishes down and burn those instead, in the hope that they will come true next year!
Another popular tradition in Ecuador is “Las 12 Uvas” (The 12 Grapes). At midnight, each person eats twelve grapes, making a wish before each bite. While the tradition originally symbolized the 12 apostles, people now wish for happiness, wealth, or anything else they desire.
If you ever visit Ecuador for New Year’s make sure you pack underwear that comes in every color of the rainbow! The color of your underwear will decide your fate for the upcoming year! Well, not entirely, but many believe that the color can symbolize what you hope to have in the new year. For example, yellow symbolizes luck and prosperity, while red symbolizes love and passion.
Finally, a tradition that is perfect for the current circumstances we face during this pandemic: dreaming of traveling again. Hopeful travelers will run around their homes or neighborhoods while carrying an empty suitcase on New Year’s Eve. This tradition is a fun way to burn off some energy and wish for life to bring you many adventures next year!
There are many more traditions that can be found in different parts of Ecuador and can change from family to family. New Year’s is an important holiday all over the world because it brings people together to reminisce on the old year and make wishes and goals for the next year. Celebrating the new year in Ecuador is a perfect way to learn more about the culture and create memories of many amazing sites throughout the night!
