Keeping the Posadas tradition alive

A bunch of hungry people lined up in Sisters Elementary School on Friday night. The old school tables groaned under the weight of huge silver pots with simmering pozoles, delicious Mexican stews, and plates piled high with homemade tamales.

Most of those who came to the Posada celebration freely admitted that their favorite thing about the tradition is the food. The Hispanic women of Sisters delivered. They prepared generous amounts of traditional Mexican dishes like buñelos, fried pastries coated with sugar, that were gobbled up in no time.

"Posada" is Spanish for "lodging." The tradition of Las Posadas is over 400 years old and is celebrated in Mexico, Guatemala, and, increasingly, in the United States.

During Las Posadas, the community reenacts and remembers the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem before the birth of Jesus. Here in Sisters, a procession of about 70 people, each with a small candle in hand, trekked through the cold asking for shelter.

As the procession approached a planned stop at a home of a Hispanic family in Sisters, those familiar with the tradition began singing "Santos Peregrinos." Those who didn't know the song tried to follow along on a hand out and struggled with the tough melody. The resulting warble was a song that sounded more like Frankenstein than a choir of Mary and Joseph. Nonetheless, spirits were high.

The procession of "pilgrims" asked those at the house for shelter. Those in the home would sing back, refuse shelter, and turn the pilgrims away.

In traditional celebrations in Mexico, usually organized by churches, these processions would go on for nine evenings, from December 16 through Christmas Eve. Those nine days are said to represent the nine months of Mary's pregnancy.

Luckily for those of who celebrated in Sisters, there were only two stops on one extremely brisk evening before being treated to a delicious feast and traditional dancing.

A young Hispanic girl, Lupe, wearing a traditional dress of purple and orange performed a dance native to Mexico, punctuated with cries of "¡Arriba México!" (up with Mexico!) from the crowd.

Fermina Morales explained that this is about the fifth year that the Hispanic community has come together to host a Posada in Sisters.

"We do this to share a little of how our culture celebrates the season," she said.

Co-founder of the Hispanic Coalition of Sisters, Bill Birnbaum, says he has been coming to the Posadas celebration since his first winter in Sisters.

"There have definitely been more Anglos coming every year," Birnbaum noticed. "It's important for the Hispanic Coalition of Sisters to participate because it is part of our mission to advance cross-cultural understanding in our community."

Announcements were made after the procession in the cafeteria at Sisters Elementary School. Speakers explained the tradition in both English and Spanish. The stage was decorated with a nativity scene adorned with Christmas lights.

"Las Posadas are celebrated throughout Mexico in remembrance of Mary and Joseph," explained speaker Jennifer Morales. "In Mexico the church unites the community and hosts Las Posadas, and here we want to unite both cultures and teach about what we [the Hispanic community] do in December.

"And now you can eat," Morales finished. Those were the words everyone was anxious to hear.