Feliz Dia De Las Velitas

 

Advent and Christmas in Barranquilla differ from Advent and Christmas in the United States in fewer ways than I expected.  Sure, by my typical "United Statesian" standards, December is not a cold month (there are NO cold months) here, that's for sure.  Otherwise, you've got the festive decorations in every store, choirs and orchestras playing carols in cathedrals and malls, and a night for lighting the city's Christmas lights.  In Medellin, we saw the city-sponsored decorations throughout the city.  


Here in Barranquilla, one tradition,  Dia de Las Velitas, includes families gathering for a whole night of fun and dancing.  At 3 a.m., children often blow out the candles that have burning through the night.  My cultural education for the evening included "immersion" dance lessons.  For the night at least, I learned the difference between salsa, merengue, cumbia,  and vallenato.  Cumbia and vallenato are unique to Colombia, particularly the Caribbean coastal region, with variations in Panama.  


The evening was more evidence that despite the decades of violence and fear woven into life in Colombia, or perhaps as a way to balance it, the Colombians we meet are relentlessly happy.  Never naive, always cognizant, and resolute on enjoying life.