|
|
FESTIVE
FOOLERY
Shocking
it may be, but Christmas in Cataluña has a distinctly scatological
streak.
At first glance, Barcelona looks very much like every other western
European city at Christmas, with coloured decorations, red-cheeked
Santas and pine trees laden with fake snow on every street corner. But a
quick peek in the window of any bakery in the Ramblas reveals what can
only be described as carefully confected turds with sugar flies dozing
on top. It's then that you get your first whiff of something distinctly
unseemly.
These disgustingly realistic cakes are known as tifas given to
children on January 6 or Kings Feast Day, are just a small indication of
Catalonia's strange preoccupation. "The Catalán preoccupation with
shit would make Sigmund Freud proud," says Robert Hughes in his
book on Barcelona. "No society offers more frequent and shining
confirmation of his theories of anal retention."
The region's apparent fascination with things scatalogical is further
born out by the popularity of the Caga Tió or The Shitting Log. Usually
wheeled out on Christmas Eve, this is a large trunk full of gifts and
sweets covered with a blanket which is bashed with a stick while
children sing: "Caga Tió, atmelles i torró, si no cagues bó, et
donaré un cop de bastó." Roughly translated as: "Shit log
shit, sweets and nougat, and if you don't shit good, I'll bash you with
my stick." Nice. The blanket is then lifted to reveal an abundance
of goodies and the process is repeated until, incredibly, a piece of
toilet paper signals the end of the event.
And the schoolboy humour isn't restricted only to kids. The universal
uncrowned king of the Catalán Christmas is the caganer,
euphemistically known as l'homme que fa les seves feines - in
other words, the guy who's doing his business.
The figure of tha caganer is a common sight in the Catalán version of
the Spanish belén or nativity scene. While the eyes of all the
traditional shepherds and wellwishers in teh stable are focused on the
miraculous new arrival, a little figure with a red beret squats in a
corner, his pants down - doing his business.
Despite the obvious problems he might present in a live nativity scene,
the caganer is the Mickey Mouse of Cataluña. There are interactive
educational websites, origami kits, exhibitions and serious collectors.
This year, one Girona baker has even produced a chocolate caganer in the
form of Jose María Aznar. Frederic Faure said his intention was not to
offend. "It's just a joke, I've already done Jordi Pujol and Bill
Clinton so he's in good company." Another popular figure was
footballer Luis Figo who deserted Barcelona for the club's most bitter
rivals, Real Madrid.
One of the best collections of caganers is in the Toy Museum of
Figueres, coincidentally the home town of renowned scatological artist
Salvador Dalí. Josep Maria Joan Rosa, the director of the museum, has
been collecting caganers for over 40 years. "He's the most popular
figure in the nativity scene," he says, explaining that the
traditional red beret-wearing representation is not the only version.
"There are all sorts of caganers, including nuns and soldiers.
There are ones with toothache and with one leg. Recently they've even
started doing caganers with a mobile phones!
"The idea is that he is slightly hidden, he shouldn't really see
the birth of Jesus. He should be hidden behind a rock or a tree. This
gives rise to the game of hunt the caganer which you can play when you
go to other people's houses."
And the justification for what many might deem an inappropriate presence
at such a sacred moment? "He's fertilising the ground and ensuring
the wellbeing of the family for the following year. Adding a caganer to
the nativity scene is believed to bring fortune and happiness. Not
having one is bad luck," explains Joan Rosa.
Another Catalán commentator and writer Xavier Fàbregas claims that the
crouching figure, busy with his bodily needs, represents "a cosmic
indifference which contrasts with the spiritual motivation which is
awoken by the greatest mystery of human kind". Right. Although that
might explain the absence of the character in most church nativity
scenes.
Along with the caga tió and the tifa, caganers form a strange seasonal
trinity. So are their shared scatalogical origins co-incidence or
something more specific? "I suppose they're all related, in as much
as shit in Cataluña has always been associated with good luck,"
says Joan Rosa. "If you step in it, for example, it's lucky. So
it's very probable
that it all refers to bringing good luck and fortune in the coming year."
|
|
