Monigotes and Año Viejo, a burning New Year’s Eve tradition in Ecuador

Monigote Ecuador
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Every year, on New Year’s Eve, the Ecuadorians traditionnally get rid of the old year’s luggage to welcome the New Year on a fresh base : they burn effigies called Monigote or Año Viejo.

These effigies are dolls made of paper mache, stuffed with sawdust or newspaper. They can be handcrafted by professionnal craftsmen or simply homemade. Painted and decorated by hand, they wear clothes made of old fabrics and represent various real-life or fictional people : politicians, celebrities, comics or cartoon characters… Some people even make an effigy of themselves !

But what for ?

Once the doll is done, you can write on a piece of paper all the (bad) key events of the finishing year, the memories you would like to erase, all the things you would like to get rid of in order to start fresh. That paper is then hidden inside of the effigy. At midnight, everyone goes out on the streets with their monigotes and puts them on fire. Some people even jump on it while it’s burning. Caution, danger ! Given the fumes and the flames, you better keep your distance !

New versions of an old tradition

This year is obviously different, and in order to avoid big crowds, the government decided to forbid any burning of monigotes in public. The Ecuadorians adapted to the situation : several small companies have been selling an alternative called ‘minigote’ which, as its name indicates, is a miniature version of the effigy. Made in less polluting materials and furnished with an aluminium dish in order to burn it safely inside your house. Another option, suggested by a national newspaper is a printable version, to cut out and paste on thin cardboard, stuffed with newspaper (of course!), and instead of burning it, you can tear and shred it to pieces.

Ecuadorians are very proud of their traditions, and very creative when it comes to defending them !

Happy New Year 2021!

  • Printable Monigote, copyright elcomercio.com

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