New Year Muñecos -- effigies or dolls (Click for full story)

#azuero, #panama, #munecos, #LosSantos, #traditions

This is sort of the Panama version of New Years resolutions. Except that they create a life-size image of what they want to be rid of. In Chame and the city, these take on politicians, etc. And in Chame there is a contest so people spend 1000’s of dollars to get one made to try to win. These 2 images were taken in 2019 in the Chame area of Panama.

These life sized effigies are an old Panamanian tradition. These “stuffed people” are called many names:

Muñecos

Dummies

Old Year Dolls

Judas Dolls

In the Azuero the Muñecos are homemade. They represent things such as a desire to overcome alcohol, or, more lately, Covid 19. We weren’t always able to figure out what they represented.

These are scarecrow-like creations, often with the same straw hats worn by campesinos and have tattered old blue jeans and shirts stuffed with leaves or grass. The heads are often of papier-mâché and hand-painted. Sometimes they crudely resemble public figures or celebrities.

The Muñecos are often stuffed with firecrackers. They are beaten and set on fire at the stroke of midnight.

According to folklore, by beating and setting the effigies aflame, the sins and evil spirits of the old year are destroyed, making way for good fortune in the new year. The fire crackers are said to help drive the evil forces away, since ghosts are afraid of light and noise. Maybe this year we can get some pictures of the beating and burning. But that means staying up til MIDNIGHT!!