Holy Saturday.
Hi Alex, and hi everyone.
I´m going to tell you about the weird traditional which is set on Holy Saturday here in Brazil. It´s called " Burning the Judas" or "Punch the Judas".
The custom reminds Judas Iscariot´s death. He was the apostle who betrayed Jesus with a kiss for 30 silver coins, later, regreted for his behaviour, he commited suicede hanging himself .
So, in some Brazilian cities, especially in the countryside cities, it´s used to make a Judas´s effigy ( in the Juda´s face, generally it´s put a picture of a corrupt politician) and the people go out in the streets punching him, and then hanged him, and near of the midday burning the Judas´s effigy.
For children this traditional is lighter. In the early morning they are in the streets with their "Judas" stopping in every neighbourhood´s grocery store, asking for sweets. You can hear their joyful voices shouting: Tricks or sweets! We want sweets! Then, the grocer come out, and give them some sweets and chocolates. If he doesn´t do it, the children don´t go away, and they start to punch the Judas, saying that the grocer is stingy. Defeated, the grocer doesn´t have any choice. He gives the sweets to the children, and they go away, happy for having reached their goal, and looking for another "victim".
At the midday they finished their "Punch Judas", and share their sweet profits among them, full of joy and eager to tell to their parents all the adventures that they have during the morning, and already looking forward to the next Holy Saturday.
Does in your country have a similar traditional?
Have a nice Easter holiday.
Ana Paula.
Comments
Hello & greetings from Romania, Ana Paula! Thank you for the very intersting saturday's blog. In Romania, at least in my area where I live we don't have this custom of Judas´s effigy but in my opinion it would be a good example to follow and I guess that I would see a lot of Judas´s effigy with different faces. :) I wish you and your family a very Happy Easter!
Hi, Here in Uruguay we have the tradition of Judas, but it is before Christmas. I did not know that in other countries existed in this week, which is more logical. Happy Easter
Hi,we don't have this kind of tradition here.I think it is very interesting to celebrate Easter,which differs from the western countries as far as i know.At this time in China,we have Qingming holiday ,and we usually put some long flexible twig of willows on our gates in the memory of the dead.Traditionally people go to graveyard and sacrifice their relatives.This is all for now.Bye
Hello again.... After taking a rest in my day off between Friday and Monday seem to be amazing day in order to unwind and relax . At my wonderful home stay quiet area whereever nobody live in here. My parents and my grandmother do business besides lovely sister are living with me .I have enough time to do everything whatever I need including sleeping , exercise ,reading an fabulous cartoon books. It sound good for which I refresh after the busy week. Nonetheless, the time flow very quickly in particular these days. The following days I have to continue for work again. How is about Easter holiday. Keep your finger cross . Wisarut.
Hi Ana, Just started reading your blogs. I find it interesting to read. The "Punch Judas" reminds me a similar tradition in my place. We have festival called, Dashahara. In this what we do is, we make effigy of Ravana (Evil), decorated with all nasty things and at the end of the evening, we burn it. Event is remembered for victory of good over bad. On this day, younger people seek blessings from the olderly persons. Monish
Hi Ana! I'm brazilian too. I live in Rio and arround here we have the this traditional too, but we have't the childrens asking for sweets or something else. I think this traditional is really weird (and very fun!).
Good evening Ana Paula, I hope you have had a special Easter Holiday with your family. I think this tradition has many variations around the country. We had several so-called "Judas" along my city. Most of them were the air traffic controlers and the Infraero because here it's not only a joke but a kind of protest. In fact the adults are always behind this, although the children do it playfully. Sometimes, only who lives here can understand who is the Judas. Once the Judas was my neighbour who replaced his dogs for gooses to protect his property and nobody could sleep by the time. To complete the joke, another neighbour cut all the trees along the street in a goose shape. Until tomorrow. Good night!
Dear Paula, I am very sorry about this tradition we have in Brazil. It is a shame for all Brazilian people. Free violence for nothing. Barbaric event that attracts only ignorant folks that don't know what they do. Bye Crivont
actually in our country we donot have such kind of traditions like burnig a judas. but we have two traditions in one year, that everyone go and visit their relative and children the same as they did in there they will visit all groceries or homes and ask for sweets and chocolates, and everyone have to give them the sweets and chocolates. otherwise they donot go away till they get sweets. but they donot shout at all.
Hello & Good evening everyone Happy Easter Ana Paula & all of you in this Blog... Thank you for sharing us this wonderful tradition ... I'm from Saudi Arabia . We have other tradition n my country spacfic side , in the esat side of my country . It is " Gergea'an " in 15 Sha'aban (the 8th month n the arabic calender) before the holy month (Rammadan) . Every child n the neighbourhood join each other with special clothes and ask for sweets after they song special song ... Bye bye Thank you ... Happy Easter
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