PUEBLA
PUEBLA
David Brye Residence
4 Oriente 204,
Puebla Centro
(tel. [011 52] 222 232-6710)
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Three Kings Day (Día de los Reyes) is always
celebrated 12 days after Christmas, January 6; it is also called Day of
the Epiphany. In Mexico, children receive the majority of their gifts on
this day (rather than on Christmas).
Three King's Day commemorates the Three Wise Men, Melchior, Gaspar and Baltazar, who followed the star to Bethlehem, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. A special Rosca or sweet bread is baked to be eaten on January 6. A small doll (muñeca) which represents the Christ child is baked into the dough. The figure symbolizes the hiding of the child from Herod's army. Whoever finds the figure in their slice of sweet bread on Three King's Day must give a party on February 2nd, Candlemas Day, or Día de la Candelaria, offering tamales and atole (a hot, sweet drink thickened with corn flour) to the guests. "Remember that the focal point of the day is the gathering of people who care about each other, and the preservation of our past." Nora Wagner, former director of educational programs at the Mexican Museum in San Francisco. |
Monday January 6
9:00 a.m. Arrive
D. Brye residence; families and program assistants will help you find the
way.
Orientation meeting: Social Work Placements
10:30 a.m. Tour Museo Amparo
and leave from there in ssmall groups for exploration of Centro of
Puebla with Puebla students
1:30 p.m. Return
to families each day for comida
4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Social work placements each afternoon
Note: on this first day several of the group will help prepare for the
party at Juconi on
Tuesday; some of these will continue as volunteers at Juconi; others will
go to
volunteer placements which will be available on Wednesday.
| The ritual begins in the afternoon or at dinner time when the family shares a rosca or two (a Rosco de Reyes is a sweet, ring-shaped loaf with a ceramic or plastic muñeca representing the Christ child baked inside). Unlike a cracker-jack box where the winner takes all, whoever is unlucky enough to get the doll has to throw a party on February 2 (Día de Candelaría) for all the others present. In this case, the "winner", who has to foot the time and expense, is often the loser. (Note: on the afternoon of Día de Candelaría, dancers gather for a performance in the churchyard. Sometimes as many as six different dance groups perform at the same time. The dancers are divided among those portraying Christians and Moors, each competing for the most attention. Other groups are represented as well. In small towns where this festival is held, there's also a special market on that day.) The party itself usually includes some favorite dish spiced with a zesty regional molé sauce. |
Wednesday, January 15
9:00 a.m. Mexican
Education, Programs for Migrant Children, Maria Luisa Flores
11:00 a.m. Visit Casa de Sal,
AIDS Organization with Sara Breidenbach
1:30 p.m. Return
to families each day for comida
4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Social work placements each afternoon 9:00 a.m.