Christmas In Medellín
I bet most of you have heard about Medellín because of Pablo Escobar or some Narcos series... Today I bring you a song with which I intend to show you a little more about our culture. Our idiosyncrasy is joy, and therefore life... despite the fact that we went through dark moments as a society, we have known how to get up and get ahead… No more stigmas ¡LET'S IMPACT CULTURE WITH COLLECTABLE MUSIC!
Christmas in Medellin and Colombia hits different, there are many traditions around this time of the year, and here, December lasts from November to January. There are parties everywhere and the atmosphere is pure euphoria. Christmas is lived as a big party.**
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This song tells what it's like to live a Christmas in Medellin, although to really get closer to what it is to live this experience, you have to come to Colombia and live it firsthand.
This is a video of the "Alborada". In Medellín, December it´s received with a lot of gunpowder around the entire city.
Let's analyze the lyrics
Fiesta en el barrio - Block party: In December the best parties are held in the neighborhoods... the streets are closed, tents and loudspeakers are set up on the sidewalks, “marranadas”, “natilladas” and “sancochos” are made in the streets, people throw gunpowder and the parties continue until the next day. No matter the socioeconomic position, people who don´t live in the neighborhoods end up going to the parties.
The best parties are on December 7, 24 and 31.
(this is a video of a party on December 7th)
- Rodolfo suena en la radio - Rodolfo sounds on the radio: In Colombia we have our own Christmas music, which is based on Porro and Cumbia rhythms adapted to melodies of the trending music of the 30s and 40s.
Rodolfo Aicardi is one of the most famous singers of this Colombian tropical music, and is one of the artists that is played the most in December in Colombia.
- Aquí la seca se cura a punta de guaro - Here the thirst is cured with Guaro: The most traditional alcoholic drink in Medellín is Guaro - Aguardiente antioqueño.
Harry styles drinking Aguardiente
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Pa´ arriba, pa´ abajo, si gotea es doble -** Up, down, if it drips it's double: In Colombia we have a saying... if you have a drink and when you turn the down shot glass, it drips, then you have to have a double drink.
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Limoncito con ron - lemon with rum:** Another of the favorite alcoholic drinks here is rum. Also, Lemon with rum - “Limoncito con ron”, is a very popular Christmas song in Colombia:
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Olvidar la pena es la intención - Forgetting the pain is the intention:** Despite the fact that we are still a city and a developing country, with many social problems to solve, December is a month in which everyone is, or at least tries to be happy... something like: laugh so as not to cry. Joy is part of our idiosyncrasy.
Bafles en cada esquina - Loudspeakers in each corner: At the parties we have here in December, people take out giant loudspeakers and put them on the sidewalks, people gather in the street and everyone enjoys music together.
La vecina que es la sensación - And the neighbor who is the sensation: People say that Medellin is one of the cities with the most beautiful women, and this is a way of saying it, since in each neighborhood you will find a neighbor who is the sensation.
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Un Vallenato pegaito - A Vallenato closely:** Vallenato is a musical genre that was born in Colombia and was declared by Unesco as Intangible Cultural Heritage and is one of the most listened genres in Colombia.
Vallenato playlist:
Vallenato live performance:
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**There are several types of Vallenato, but the romantic one, usually dances closely with your partner:
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Natillada en la calle, sople duro ¡el fuego se apagó! - street custard, blow hard, the fire went out:**
The custard is a dessert originally from Spain, which was introduced in Antioquia when it was brought from Spain at the time of the Colony - Andalusian Spaniards - along with other culinary customs; but, in Antioquian lands, it took on a harder consistency with corn, which substituted wheat flour by virtue of the Antioquian corn tradition, it became darker and caramel in color with panela, which replaced sugar, and its flavor it changed with cinnamon sticks and other variable and additional ingredients to enrich it, such as coconut, butter, peasant cheese and anise liqueur.
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**In December it´s very common for “Natilladas” to be made on the street. In a large pot, custard is made over firewood for all the guests. The funny part is that to light the fire you have to blow, and if you don't do it strongly enough the fire goes out. I always let the fire go out lol
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Todo está alumbrado, las montañas hechas pesebres - everything is lit, the mountains made mangers:** In December everyone brings out their lights, the city becomes a light show... and the mayor's office puts up the traditional Christmas lights over the Medellin river (the Medellin Christmas lights are considered one of the best in Latin America).
Here you can see the Christmas lights of this year, based on the movie Encanto:
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Sancocho al día siguiente, que se sienta diciembre - Sancocho the next day, let December feel:** The Sancocho is a thick broth or soup based on potatoes or cassava, to which the desired meat is added, (for example chicken, hen, fish, beef, etc.)
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**It's a tradition that the day after a very intense party, a Sancocho is made for all the guests.
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y si te esta por sabaneta le llego a caballo - And if you are by Sabaneta I'll get to you on horseback:** Sabaneta is a municipality in Antioquia, and despite the fact that is in the city, near Medellin, it still preserves many traditions of the towns. So it's common, for example, to have “fondas”, which is a kind of canteen, where people go to drink liquor, eat, listen to popular music (a music genre in Colombia) , mostly, and ride horses.
Popular music playlist:
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Dime como fue la vuelta, ¿a donde le llego?, que ya tengo el “estren” - Tell me how the situation is, Where do I get you? That I already have the “estren”:** In Colombia we call “Estren” the clothes we bought to wear on December 24 and 31. It is tradition for people to buy a new outfit to wear on December 24 and 31. We all dress up and like to look cute on those dates.
Vela como prende las velitas, y no tiene nada de virgencita - Look how you light the candles, and there is nothing virgin about you: In Colombia we have the "day of the candles" where friends and families gather to light candles and honor the Virgin Mary. Many parties are also held on this day.
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El 31 se armó el vacilón, todo el mundo guarde las pistolas, que hay celebración... baño dulce, para las buenas energías. calzones amarillos, agueros de abuelita - On the 31st the vacilón got started, everybody put away your guns, there's a celebration...Sweet bath, for good energy, yellow panties, grandmother's omens:** December 31 is one of the most celebrated days in Colombia, and we have several omens and traditions, such as making baths with sweet herbs to attract prosperity and protect us from bad energy, wearing yellow underwear to attract prosperity, going out with a suitcase and run to manifest trips, put bills in the pockets so that next year nothing is lacking and more.
The audio at the end of the song was taken from this video I made at "La aborada"
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Translation: “To all the nationalities of the world, PARCE (a way of saying friend in medellin), from whatever planet you are, be sorry if you are not here in December”
Finally, here is my favorite part of Christmas: eating Empanadas, Buñuelos, Natilla, and more.