Años Viejos, a strong Ecuadorian tradition

On December 31, at midnight, every year in Ecuador, the traditional burning of the “Monigote” (Doll) or “Año Viejo” (Old Year), which are built with old clothes and stuffed with newspaper or sawdust, is carried out, and, through their incineration, they symbolize purification to drive away bad luck or negative energies of the ending year, as well as the transition that the arrival of the new year represents, abolishing the previous one.

In the Ecuadorian coast, the dolls are more elaborate since they get involved in competitions and parades throughout the city. Each year, the puppets are built representing significant events or important characters as models, especially those related to politics and show business.

This 2012, the Don Burro fever led the race, “candidate” to the National Assembly of Ecuador who arrived to demonstrate that a donkey has more potential at the time of legislation than certain candidates.

Dolls of Don Burro

Dolls of Don Burro

Dolls of Don Burro (Some are more elaborate than others)

This beautiful tradition new year’s eve is accompanied by the famous wills, which the “Año Viejo” leaves before his death. We cannot forget the famous “widows“, male transvestites that, both in urban and rural areas after burning their “men“, take the streets to mourn and ask for charity.

This year, although the traditional fireworks used to fill the puppet, were banned, Ecuadorians do not lose the spirit of the tradition and will receive the 2013 with the same faith that characterizes them.