Caganer
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A Caganer (IPA: [kə.γə.'ne]) is a little statue unique to Catalonia, and neighbouring areas with Catalan culture such as Andorra. Also known as L'home que caga, l'home que fa les seves necessitats.
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[edit] The traditional Caganer
In Catalonia, as well as in the rest of Spain and in most of Italy and Southern France, the traditional Christmas decoration is a large model of the city of Bethlehem, similar to the Nativity scenes of the English-speaking world, but encompassing the entire city rather than just the typical manger scene. The Catalans have added an extra character that is not found in the manger scenes of any other culture. In addition to Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the Shepherds and company, Catalans have the character known as the Caganer. This extra little character is often tucked away in some corner of the model, typically nowhere near the manger scene, where he is not easily noticed. There is a good reason for his obscure position in the display, for "caganer" translates from Catalan to English as "defecator", and that is exactly what this little statue is doing — defecating.
Possible reasons for placing a man who is in the act of excreting solid waste from his posterior in a scene which is widely considered holy are as follows:
- Just tradition.
- Perceived humor. For actual humor, see Humour
- Mythical Defecation by Dwarfs
- Finding the Caganer is a fun game, especially for children.
- The Caganer, by creating feces, is fertilizing the Earth. However, this is probably an a posteriori (no pun intended) explanation, and nobody would say they put the Caganer on the Nativity scene for this reason.
- The Caganer represents the equality of all people: regardless of status, race, gender everyone defecates.
The exact origin of the Caganer is lost, but the tradition has existed since the 17th century. An Iberian votive deposit was found nearby Tornabous in the Urgell depicting a holy Iberian warrior defecating on his falcata. This started a short lived polemics between the Institut d'Estudis Catalans and the Departament d'Arqueologia in the Conselleria de Cultura of the Generalitat de Catalunya as to whether that can be regarded as a proto-caganer (which would draw the origins of this tradition far before than it is thought) or just a pre-combat ritual. In any case, there was some sort of consensus of this as being an early manifestation of Catalan nationalism.
Originally, the Caganer was portrayed as a Catalan peasant wearing a traditional hat called a barretina — a red stocking hat with a black band.
[edit] The Caganer in the world of the jet plane
The Catalans have modified this tradition somewhat since the 1940s. In addition to the traditional caganer design, you can easily find other characters assuming the caganer position, such as nuns, devils, Santa Claus, celebrities, athletes, historical figures, politicians, Spanish royalty, and other famous people past and present, including Pope John Paul II, Salvador Dalí, prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Princess Letizia and even Osama bin Laden.
The practice is tolerated by the local Catholic church. Caganers are easiest to find before Christmas in holiday markets, like the one in front of the Cathedral of Santa Eulalia, which has tables and tables of caganers. Caganers have even been featured in art exhibits.
[edit] Caganergate
In 2005, the Barcelona city council provoked a public outcry by commisioning a nativity scene which did not include a Caganer. As so often in Catalunya, many saw this as an attack on Catalan traditions, part of a campaign to extirpate Catalan language and identity from the face of Spain. The local government countered these criticisms by claiming that the Caganer did not feature because a recent by-law had illegalized public defecation and urination, meaning that the Caganer was now setting a bad example. Instead, a figure representing the local breed gos d'atura dog equipped with a small barrel of cava around his neck which sported the Senyera colours was featured sniffing as covert allusion to the caganer. Following a campaign against this decision called Salvem el caganer (Save the caganer), and widespread media criticism, the 2006 nativity restored the Caganer, who appeared on the northern side of the nativity near a dry riverbed. Some have been supportive of keeping the dog figure, to reassure the Catalan identity but, as of 2006, it was not restaured.
[edit] Defecation and Nation, Excretion in Catalan culture
The caganer is not the only defecating character in the Catalan Christmas tradition—another is the Tió de Nadal, which also makes extensive use of the image of human waste production. Other mentions of feces and defecation are common in Catalan folklore, indeed, the act of defecation is one of the central planks of the Catalan national identity. One popular Catalan phrase before eating says "menja bé, caga fort i no tinguis por a la mort!" (Eat well, shit strong and don't be afraid of death!).
In recent years a urinating statue, or Pisaner, has been added to the christmas pantheon, but, unlike the Caganer, this addition should not be considered as an authentic Catalan tradition, as it is just silly.
Synonyms in other languages/cultures:
- In Dutch / Flemish : Kakkers / Schijterkes
- In French : Père la Colique
- In German : Choleramännchen or Hinterlader
[edit] See also
- Mooning - the act of displaying one's bare buttocks
- Kakkers - The Flemish, Belgian variation of the Caganer
- Tió de Nadal
[edit] External links
- The caganer or shitter, nice character of Catalan tradition.
- Catalunya’s Christmas Caganer, from roughguides.com by AnneLise Sorensen, December 1, 2005.
- A Spanish Christmas and New Year, from Expatica, December 2004.
- Remains of the Spanish occupation of Flanders in the 16 th century ?, by Didier D'haese (Belgium), December 2004. ( Webpage in Dutch, French and English )
