burning the "año viejo"

[Catalina]

This is not a very good picture, but its fun.
We burn a figurine to leave behind the bad things that the old year brought to us.Pure superstition.
I should have moved it to a better background, I guess.
Sincerely,
Catalina

[Wavelength]

Superstition...we have plenty of them.... we too burn effigies of embodied evils annually....liked the image

[Catalina]

I can learn a lot about cultures in this site, good input wavelenght.
Cordially,
Catalina

[Shadowman]

Good background story, perhaps a shot as it is burning.

[NorthernFocus]

An interesting tradition. Thanks for sharing.

Good background story, perhaps a shot as it is burning.

Take another look...

[Saorsa]

Penny for the Guy?

[Catalina]

Penny for the Guy?

No pennies, you just burn it until is ashes. As you hope that the bad things of last year don't come back in this one. As I said a ritual, pure superstition

[Shadowman]

An interesting tradition. Thanks for sharing.


Take another look...

Those aren't flames. I didn't notice, thanks.

[Catalina]

Yes there is a flame in the hat and some smoke

[rpcrowe]

I was staying with a Mexican family in Cuernavaca, Mexico one New year's Eve and they took buckets of water and brooms sweeping away (I guess) the old year from the front of their house. Then they scattered salt (I don't remember why)...

But the place with the most traditions (superstitions) I ever visited was China...

Door jams are raised because ghosts don't have knees and cannot step over obstacles. The picture on the door is to frighten off the ghosts and protect the home.



When entering older Chinese houses you often are faced with a altar of sorts



And you must turn left or right to circumvent the altar. Everyone knows that ghosts cannot turn corners and must travel in a straight line

That is why this walkway in Shanghai is built with a series of right angles..



It sure is lucky that they know all about ghosts

However, I cannot look down at traditions... My dad would never walk under a ladder, nor let a black cat cross his path...

[Catalina]

do you personally believe in supersticious a john? Do you believe in Ghosts?

[Catalina]

I mean Richard, pardon me

[Catalina]

Richard: I cannot take classes of photogrphy this year. The house of the "mayordomos" is dangerous for them now. We have to build a new house or better we are making a house from a barn. Will you still teach me?

My purpose is to take the camera out and take pictures of people at work.