New Year's tradition makes its comeback

by Eric Jackson

Maybe we should blame Mireya. Panama's political divide also contains cultural elements, and under this president's watch, "national culture" means tipico traditions from the interior.

Betty La Fea

One of the interior's cultural genres, the New Year's muñeco, was a lot more common along the highways these past holidays. Almost all of them are gone now, because it's the tradition to burn them in New Year's bonfires.

From what I saw in Panama Oeste, the favorite characters this time were TV character Betty La Fea, Fidel Castro and the traditional drunk. All sorts of political figures, including Mireya herself, were portrayed.

One reason for the muñeco revival was the contests held by local governments and civic groups. Top prizes amounted to a month's pay for most working people in the interior. Sadly, however, the muñeco displays weren't promoted as a tourist attraction. Maybe next year IPAT will take that step.