Speaking Volumes | Explore Latin American holiday traditions at Manatee library

Visit any of the beautifully varied Latin American countries during the holiday season and you will likely be greeted by the aromas of delicious foods, the sounds of villancicos being sung, and the beautiful glow of farolitos, or paper lanterns. Though specific festivals vary by region, all are rooted in family and community.

Las Posadas is a nine-day devotional celebration most commonly observed in Mexico and Guatemala during which candle-lit processions reenact Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem and their search for lodging. Each night, a different house is designated to be the “inn” that hosts the traveling pilgrims.

A colorful procession of children dressed as Mary and Joseph, angels, and shepherds, goes door to door while singing the posada litany. When the procession reaches the designated inn, the host replies in song and the travelers are finally invited to enter. The evening continues with prayer, singing, feasting, and children breaking open star-shaped pinatas.

Your library offers several picture books on Las Posadas. Author Tomie dePaola fills the pages of “The Night of Las Posadas” with his signature luminous paintings. In “The Gift of the Poinsettia” by Pat Mora, a young boy participating in Las Posadas festivities searches for a special gift for the baby Jesus, which he finds in a simple flower which blooms into a beautiful poinsettia. The book includes musical annotations for traditional Las Posadas songs.

Additional picture books to enjoy with the family include “Twas Nochebuena” by Roseanne Thong, “A Pinata in a Pine Tree” by Pat Mora, and “The Farolitas of Christmas” by Rudolfo Anaya.

In Puerto Rico parrandas, a small group will gather outside a friend’s house in the dead of night and then awaken them by singing and playing instruments such as guiros, cuatros, and maracas, until the sleepy host invites them inside for dancing and refreshments. The host then joins the group of parranderos as they carry the music to the next house.

Music and food play integral roles in Latin American seasonal festivities, serving as a way for communities to gather and rejoice together. Tamales are a staple, and around holidays, families host tamaladas, or tamale-making parties.

Learn how to make tamales yourself with the book “Tamales 101” by Alice Guadalupe Tapp, available in print and digital format with your library card. Also available is “Puerto Rican Cookery” by Carmen Aboy Valldejuli, the standard reference on native Puerto Rican cooking.

Arroz con Dulce, a rice pudding, and fried fritters called bunuelos are other Christmas favorites. Recipes for these dishes and more can be found in “70 Classic Mexican Recipes” by Elizabeth Lambert Ortiz, and “A Taste of Latino Cultures” by George Kunzel.

Your library has music CDs in Spanish to ring in the season, including “Feliz Navidad Te Desean” and “Parranda Navidena”, featuring songs from Johnny Ventura, Jose Feliciano, and Eddie Santiago. Find additional music on Hoopla Digital. Ask our librarians for assistance accessing digital resources. Feliz Navidad!

Your library is online: www.mymanatee.org/library. Free masks are available at all library locations. Manatee Libraries are now fine free. Please note that lost/damages fees still apply.

Speaking Volumes is written by members of the Manatee County Library system. Bethany Stevens is a library assistant for the Downtown Central Library.