Beating Dolls (Muñecos or Años Viejos), Crossdressers (Viudas), and Bonfires Ring In the New Year!!

The celebration of New Year in Ecuador is quite the tradition and quite the experience. Roaring bonfires are set in the streets late at night, and go until dawn. The entire city looks like it's on fire and you wonder how all these fires do not actually burn down the city. Traveling anywhere the following day is out of the question until the pyres of burnt ash are cleaned from the streets. I was more than a little nervous about all the fires in the streets and especially the ones in the streets near my home, as you never know if things may get out of control and your life is suddenly in jeopardy and threatened.

Also part of the tradition with the bonfires are Munecos or dolls. Life size dolls of various creatures and people are made from wood and paper and the families and people will beat these dolls with sticks and with their hands and feet to express release the anxieties and frustrations of the past year and then burn the dolls in the bonfires which will then burn those frustrations and problems of the year before and bring about the new year clean and refreshed. It was actually quite fun just taking out your anger and frustration on a doll with a stick and your hands and feet. Afterwards, watching it burn was to help settle the heart and mind and bring about a new fresh perspective on the year to come.

The last and final tradition of the celebration, and by far my favorite, were the viudas or crossdressers. Men would dress as women and prostitutes and raid the streets and public buses dancing looking for money. They would set up barriers along the streets stopping and slowing traffic until they were paid for their dance and 'entertainment'. It was a lot of fun to watch and see, but made going anywhere a pain as they would block streets and stop traffic until they were paid. They would harass the drivers and passengers until payment was made. Seeing full grown men dressing as best as possible as women, wearing dresses, skirts, and even some going as far as wearing bikinis in public. It was all quite a sight to see. I hope everyone reading this post had a fantastic New Year celebration and many blessings and prosperity in your year to come!!