Cacadad 2008

A few days before Christmas, I was talking with my friend Risa via AIM about two curious Christmas traditions they have here in Catalunya (Catalunya being the province of Spain in which Barcelona is located). One is the Caganer (pictured left), the official Christmas Pooper, placed in every home nativity scene. Please note his squatting stance and the fact that, had I taken this picture from the side, you would see plastic piles of pooh directly beneath his exposed buttocks. (I am, of course, referring to him singularly, even though there are multiple figurines in this picture.) The other tradition is Tió de Nadal (pictured below). A log covered in a blanket (Tió in Catalan means ‘log’). Children ‘feed’ him for a few days before Christmas, and then, on Christmas they ceremoniously beat him with a stick as they sing songs ordering him to “poop” out gifts:

Catalan:

caga torró,
avellanes i

mató,
si no cagues bé
et

 daré un cop de

bastó.
caga tió!”

 

Translation:

poop log,

poop turrón, hazelnuts

and cottage cheese, if you don’t

 poop well,
I’ll hit you with

 a stick,
poop log!

 

I was immediately fascinated by this Catalan fixation with poop and Christmas. Why have a little man pooping near the nativity? Why hit a log to get him to poop? I began asking the Spanish people around me about these traditions, I searched for answers on that end-all be-all source for information: Wikipedia. Then, I started sharing the traditions with my American friends.

While I learned both traditions are hundreds of years old, dating back to the 16^th century at least, it was difficult to find a concrete answer to the question: Why? For the explanation of the Caganer, I heard a lot about how he is a political statement, a constant reminder of the need to “poop” on the accepted order, the status quo. I heard about how he was meant to “humanize” Christmas, make the story of gods and miracles more accessible to the huddled masses, reminding us that all of us, even the baby Jesus, shit.

 So it seems that it’s all just in good fun. Really silly, pretty gross, fun– another example of the age old truism that in this world of wars, and violence, and all sorts of other despicable things, we all just need to laugh.  That even during the celebration of what many believe to be the holiest of nights and one of the most significant moments in human history, that we still just need to laugh. You know, loosen up.

 The Tió de Nadal, on the other hand, confounded me for quite awhile. I mean, wasn’t the Caganer enough of this caca silliness? Why two symbols of poop? Why have a child hit a log with a stick? It just seemed too obscure to me, until I asked Sandra (the house-keeper, cook, nanny and overall wonderful woman that works for the people I live with).  Her answer showed me that far from being just a strange, borderline absurd tradition, that this Tió figure was actually pure genius:

 It’s to keep the children (the crazy, excited, running around, screaming, children) occupied! What could be better for releasing pent up energy and excitement at potentially boring family gatherings then hitting the crap out of something with a stick? Brilliant.

As I mentioned before I was speaking with Risa about these traditions. “Wow, they sure like poop a lot,” she told me. To which I responded, “Yeah, they should call it ‘Poopmas.’”  But Risa, being the hilarious person she is, did me one better: “Cacadad!”

So, everyone, I hope you all had a wonderful Cacadad!