ANDORRA’S INTERNATIONAL CHRISTMAS
You’ll never guess where I went on Sunday. To a children’s pantomime! Yes, really! Here in Andorra. For the past eight weeks some 36 international and local children, encouraged by some 24 mums, rehearsed their parts twice weekly. Why International? Well, in alphabetical order, the children were American, Andorran, British, Dutch, French, Hungarian, Mexican, New Zealander, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Ukrainian and Uruguayan! How about that! For me, that is one of Andorra’s greatest joys: her cultural richness and diversity. The large hall was packed with delighted parents and friends. And audience participation was impeccable: lusty booing of the ‘baddies’ and applauding and shouting in appreciation of each scene.
With such a big cast, the organisers, Fran and Sandra, opted for a variation on the traditional fairytale theme; after all no child could possibly be left out. So we were treated to the not so well known tale of Seven Snow Whites and Seventeen Dwarfs! Even the traditional single Dame had been doubled. Afterwards voluntary collections were made for the Alzheimer’s Association and Bomar which cares for animals.
HOW CHRISTMAS CAROL CONCERTS TOOK OFF IN ANDORRA
Which leads me on to voluntary donations and Christmas Concerts. Pantomimes are a very recent innovation but Andorra’s first, UK-style, Christmas Carol Concert took place 25 years ago in 1991. It was performed by the International Singers (today known as the Cor Internacional d’Andorra – they usually boast at least a dozen different nationalities amongst them). Each year they do a ‘tour’ of three or four parish churches and, at the end of every concert, they ask for voluntary donations. Today, almost every one of Andorra’s choirs – 13 at my last count – gives a concert at Christmas time and if you look further down to my PICK OF THE WEEK you will see that this week all three Christmas Concerts are in aid of deserving causes.
AN ANDORRAN CHARITY
The first group to receive such donations was a small NGO, Infants del Món, incidentally the best small charity I’ve ever come across. In 1991, five idealistic young Andorrans formed this charity in the belief that it was possible for a few people to make a difference; that with love and care they could create a more humane world for children to grow up in. And what a difference they have made!
Their biggest project to date is in northern Cambodia where, in 2003, they built a Children’s Home to welcome orphans and youngsters from very poor families. Originally they had some 70 children living there, supported by the Government and people of Andorra. Each day they went to the local schools. But the charity’s directors soon realised that the schools were no good. So then they started offering their children after-school classes. Seeing the huge progress these students made, the local people wanted their children to be tutored too.
So Infants del Món built more classrooms and hired more teachers. Now, each week, over 500 children and young people attend the Home’s Education Project. There, depending on their grade level, they receive classes in Khmer, reading, mathematics, English, traditional dance, arts and pottery, physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, personal hygiene and cleanliness of the environment. Right now, eight of last year’s school graduates are away at university while another 11 are in professional training.
A TRULY ANDORRAN CHRISTMAS TRADITION
So now I’ll finish off by sharing with you one of Andorra’s best loved traditions: “Caga Tió!” or “Shit Log!” Yes, really, that’s what it’s called. El Tió is an esteemed figure of long lineage. Maybe you’ve already spotted him, a small wooden log, usually with just two short front legs and lurking, with a cheery grin on his face, in the corner of shop windows or on sale at Christmas markets. El Tió started bringing sweets to Catalan-speaking children some three hundred years before Father Christmas arrived to fill their stockings.
Originally the Caga Tió was just a large log that was brought into the home on the day of the Immaculate Conception, 8th December, and kept by the fire till Christmas Eve.
Later, someone painted a smiling face on the flat end of the log, put a barretine (the traditional red knitted Catalan hat) on his head and laid a blanket over his lower back to keep him warm at night. Today, the children take great care of Tió for he’s a magic log. Every night until Christmas Eve they put out water and food for him: perhaps orange peel, potatoes or turron (nougat). For the more they fill him up with food hopefully the more he will shit sweets onto the floor for them on the night of Christmas Eve.
Finally the big moment arrives. Each small child is armed with a short wooden stick. Maybe their father will take them off to the kitchen there to slightly ‘warm’ their sticks in the oven; basically anything to get them out of sight of Tió where the mother quickly hides chocolates, nougat, Neules and small presents under the blanket. Once ready, the children are called back to stand around the Tió and sing to it whilst tapping it with their sticks. There are almost as many Tió songs as there are households. One goes like this:
“Caga Tió, neules i torrons,
“Shit Log, neules and torrons
Sinó cagues ara … If you don’t shit right now –
cop de bastó!!!. I’ll hit you with my stick.
Caga Tió!” Shit Log!”
To begin with the children tap the log quite gently but at the final “Caga Tió!” they hit the log really hard and then look under the blanket to see if he has pooped sweets or small presents for them.
If you want to see a really big Tió then why not go to the Plaça del Poble in Andorra la Vella and take your photo standing in front of it.
PICK OF THE WEEK: Andorra (Pyrenees)
Main places:
Andorra la Vella, Escaldes-Engordany, San Julia de Loria, La Massana, Ordino, Encamp, Canillo, Pas de la Casa
MY PICK OF THE WEEK
MUSIC
Friday, 16th December at 8.30pm in the National Auditorium, Ordino. (15€) Traditional Christmas Concert by the well-known Petits Cantors del Principat d’Andorra in aid of Nostra Senyora de Meritxell Special School.
Saturday, 17th December at 7.30pm in the Edifici Consell General (new parliament building), Andorra la Vella. (Free) 23rd Season of the Fundació ONCA – 2016: Concert of JONCA Bàsic (Andorran Youth Orchestra) Trained and Directed by Jordi Coll.
Saturday, 17th December at 7pm at the La Massana Church of Sant Iscle and Santa Victòria. Concert by the Andorra Gòspel Cor (in aid of ATIDA (Association for Transplants and Donors of Andorra).
Saturday 17th December at 10pm in Sant Julià Parish Church. A Christmas Concert by Sant Julià de Lòria’s choirs: Coral de la Llar de Lòria, Coral dels Petits Cantaires Lauredians, Coral Rocafort and by the visiting Spanish choir from La Seu d’Urgell: Coral Sígnum The concert is in aid of the TV3 Marathon charity. There will be a voluntary donation at the door as you leave.
See also the Christmas Village schedule of *Carols this means any of thirteen choirs, 10 local modern and jazz groups and pupils from the school of Music of Andorra La Vella will be playing to liven up the market
interpreting a wide rang of Christmas music.
CINEMA
Monday 12th & Wednesday 14th at 8pm and Tuesday, 13th December at 7.30pm at the Cinemes Illa Carlemany, Escaldes-Engordany. Hacksaw Ridge Directed by Mel Gibson, Starring: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey The Story: The extraordinary true story of conscientious objector Desmond T. Doss who saved 75 men in Okinawa, during the bloodiest battle of WWII, without firing a single shot. Believing that the war was just but killing was nevertheless wrong, he was the only American soldier in WWII to fight on the front lines without a weapon. As an army medic Doss single-handedly evacuated the wounded near enemy lines – braving enemy fire and putting his own life on the line. (2h19m Drama/history, children over 12)
EXHIBITIONS
20 Years On Since The Great, 1996, Arinsal Avalanche. On 8 February 1996 a powder snow avalanche of considerable dimensions was triggered in the area of Les Fonts high above Arinsal and affected part of the tow. While no one was killed, the avalanche nonetheless caused significant damage. The exhibition offers a scientific and documentary journey helping one to better understand the phenomenon of avalanches, the factors that triggered this one, and to record how the leading actors managed the situation. It also explains how the risk of avalanches is currently managed in Andorra. Open until Tuesday, 17th January in the Sala de la Closeta, La Massana.
I’ll be with you again next week.
Culturally yours,
Clare.
If you want to learn more in depth about Andorra try reading “Andorra Revealed”.
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Look for about the author of the blog Clare Allcard
See also Andorra travel guide
See also Pyrenees travel guide
See also France travel guide
See also Spain travel guide
