Author: Tsukuba Information Center, Issue: December 2002, Topic: Coffee Hour

As we are reaching the end of the year, many people in the world are getting ready to celebrate Christmas. In the last Coffee Hour of this year, Ms. Irma G. Kuwahara will introduce you to one of the loveliest traditions of Mexico, "Las Posadas".

Christmas for Mexicans in a traditional setting and in rural areas is a celebration of the Nativity. This means the birth of Jesus Christ. These celebrations comprise the "Novena" or the nine days before December 24th. These Posadas are an enactment of the search for lodging of Joseph and the Virgin Mary who were called Pilgrims and who were traveling to Bethlehem for the Census according to the Scriptures. Each family in a neighborhood will schedule a night for the Posada to be held in their home. Every home will have a Nativity scene. The Hosts of the home are the innkeepers, and the neighborhood children and adults are Los Peregrinos, who have to request lodging through singing a simple song. All carry small-lit candles in their hands and four teenagers of about the same height are chosen to carry "Los Peregrinos", which are two small statues of Joseph leading a donkey and one of the Virgin Mary riding a horse sidesaddle. The head of the procession will have a candle inside of a paper lampshade that looks like an accordion but open at the top and it is called a "Farolito" or little lantern.

Ms. Irma G. Kuwahara is from Mexico City and has been working at the JICA Training Center as a Spanish language instructor. She loves to work with these talented people who are sent around the world. She lives in Ushiku City and is taking Ikebana lessons at the Tsukuba Information Center.

Date/Time: December 18 (Wed.)14:00 to 16:00
Guest: Ms. Irma G. Kuwahara (Mexico)
Place: Tsukuba Information Center

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