Quema de Judas

Feliz Pascua! Or for those who don't speak Spanish, Happy Easter! Yesterday was my first major holiday in Valparaíso and it was pretty fun. I got to experience a cultural event unlike anything I've experienced in the US and it's called Quema de Judas, or in English, the burning of Judis.

My friend Paloma and I went high into the hills of Valparaíso to a little square called Plaza Waddington. We got empanadas for dinner from a little panaderia right across the street, and the headed over with the masses to watch the Quema de Judas. There were many families and kids there, all there to watch the burning.

There was a giant doll built of paper in the middle of the square, and it was honestly one of the ugliest things I've ever seen. A group of drummers started the festivities off while someone lit something that looked like a giant sparkler. Then they lit the giant doll on fire. It was pretty amazing seeing how everyone reacted to the experience.

The significance is that you're burning away the old year and all your past problems so that you can go into the new year without anything from the old year holding you back.