Friday, January 9, 2009

Oh Where, Oh Where Can the Piñata Be?

Atlanta Middle Son turned age 9 while visiting this past week. We of course promised a birthday Piñata.

Embarrassingly, we could not find one! We looked in local town south of us and the one store was closed. We looked in the larger grocery stores and in shops along main thoroughfares. None.

We went to local town where we live but I have never seen any for sale there either. Then driving by on the street was the Local Whale Man who took us Whale Watching. He was dropping off son at town square.

We yelled out at Local Whale Man. He told us exactly where to go. We walked a few blocks up and the Piñata Store was closed. Local Whale Man had driven to Piñata Store to make sure we found okay. Local Whale Man talked with Mini-grocer next door to Piñata Store who said it would be open next day.

We go by next day. It is still closed. Oh Man! Atlanta Mom goes over to Mini-grocer next door who then goes somewhere. 10 minutes later up comes the metal sliding door and the Piñata Store was open!! Hooray!

So the Piñata Store was a new experience for us. It has traditional and modern designs and all are handmade. The shelves are neatly stacked with various kinds of candy. There are also the largest marshmallows you have ever, ever seen!

Atlanta Middle Son chose a Batman design for 90 pesos.

We get it home; stuff it with Mexican candy and string the Piñata up. Husband is quite clever to spray pulling rope with Pam to make it slide over tree branch easily. We locate a broom handle to whack it. Oldest Son and Youngest Son sing Mexican Piñata Song in Spanish. (I have updated since original post when I realized there are several versions! Thanks Mexico Bob http://mexicobob.blogspot.com/)

Dale, dale, dale.
No pierdas el tino. Porque si lo pierdes. Pierdes el camino.
Ya le diste una. Ya le diste dos. Ya le diste tres.
Y tu tiempo se acabó.

Here is a translation but I have NEVER heard this sang:
Hit it, hit it, hit it.

Don’t loose your aim. Because if you loose it. You loose the way.
You hit it once. You hit it twice. You hit it three times.
And your time is up..”

And as a special touch we had the Lucha Libre mask as the blind fold!

As it bursts we are thrilled to see the actual clay pot that is the body (not something you see in USA.) At every party or celebration we have attended in Mexico, there has been at least one Piñata. I enjoy reading about the history, tradition and symbolism of the Piñata. I have respect for this lovely Mexican tradition.

5 comments:

Bob Mrotek said...

AM,
Where I live they first turn the person round and round while singing:

“Ya se va el curo Ponciano con su bastón en su mano a ver si vuelta u vuelta se quita lo panzón”.

(There goes the priest Ponciano with his stick in his hand to see if by turning and turning around he can lose his belly.)

Then the blindfolded person is left under the piñata to try and find it and hit it with the stick. Some people pull on the rope that supports the piñata to make it jump about and harder to hit. Other people shout directions and encouragement while some of the people sing the following ditty to set a time limit but it is slightly different than yours:

“Dale, dale, dale,
No pierdas el tino
Porque si lo pierdes
Pierdes el camino.
Dale, dale, dale
Dale y no le dio
Quítenle la venda
¡Porque sigo yo!
¡Se Acabó!
¡Sigo yo!”

(Hit it, hit it, hit it!
Don't lose your aim
Because if you lose your aim
You will lose the path.
Hit it, hit it, hit it!
He hit it, and it didn't give
Take away his blindfold
Because it's now my turn!
It’s over!
I'm next!)

Frankly Ronda said...

BM - You know I will have to show your version to the kids to make sure I got it right! Remember, the boys in my family all speak Spansh but not me ...

Steve Cotton said...

AMM -- I so want tobe 8 again. I guess that is what retiring is all about.

Frankly Ronda said...

BM and I both got the versions wrong - I have corrected the post to this
Dale, dale, dale. No pierdas el tino. Porque si lo pierdes. Pierdes el camino.Ya le diste una. Ya le diste dos. Ya le diste tres. Y tu tiempo se acabó.

According to Youngest Son!

bordersaside said...

I cant believe it was that hard to find one. There are so many places here that have them and it seems something is always open. Sounds like it ended up ok though.