Biblical Journey Reenacted in Lowell

About 40 students from Religion 1035, “Religion and Latin American Imaginations,” carried candles from the Lowell House Master’s Residence to the Junior Common Room to the Senior Common Room last night in an attempt to find shelter.

The students had not been locked out of their rooms. Rather, they were taking part in a traditional Latin American posada—a reenactment of the biblical story in which Mary and Joseph wander through Bethlehem in search of posada (lodging) as Mary prepares to give birth to Jesus.

Organized by Religion 1035 instructor David L. Carrasco, Rudenstine professor for the study of Latin America, last night’s posada was the first ever to take place at Harvard.

The procession—which included singers and guitarists from Carrasco’s class, Lowell House Master Diana C. Eck and Professor of Mathematics Noam Elkies, among others—began in front of Eck’s residence with a dialogue in song between would-be lodgers and innkeepers.

After innkeepers at both the Master’s Residence and JCR denied housing to the candle-toting processors, their journey finally ended at the Lowell SCR, where the innkeepers finally sang the Spanish words “entren peregrinos,” indicating that the travelers were welcome to enter.

The SCR doors opened to reveal a room festooned by traditional papel picados (tissue paper decorations resembling snowflakes) and images of the Virgin of Guadalupe, a common Latin American portrayal of Mary.

Traditionally, the posada occurs each of the nine nights leading up to Christmas. On Dec. 24, the celebration concludes with a fiesta replete with piñatas, tamales and a traditional hot cider drink called ponche.

All these customary elements were present at last night’s festivities, though the revelers had a bit of trouble hanging the cactus-shaped piñata.

“How many Harvard students does it take to string a piñata?” yelled one onlooker, drawing hearty laughs from the crowd.

Once the piñata was finally strung up, Carrasco tried his hand at cracking it open—though unsuccessfully.

Betto Arcos, a professional DJ with Berkeley, Calif.-based Pacifica Radio, complemented the event with Latin musical stylings.

Arcos worked with the class this fall to compile six soundtracks to accompany the six thematic units of the course, from pre-colonial Meso-America to the U.S.-Latin American diaspora.

Carrasco, despite his disappointment at not having felled the mighty cactus, said the event successfully captured the essence of the posada as “a religious tradition that generates a sense of community.”