The Cultural Mystique of the 3 Kings Day
by Don Jibaro Barbanegra he
feast of epiphany
celebrates Christ's manifestation to the Gentiles in the person of the Magi,
as well as his baptism and first miracle at Cana. It began in the East in the
third century and spread to the West. That includes us... Waay out West. In some
countries it is known as The Twelfth Day (of Christmas) and is the occasion for
special celebrations with your true loves. For centuries the Epiphany has been a
Holy Celebration (Etym. Greek epiphaneia, appearance, manifestation.)
In Puerto Rico, during the early 1950s, we didn't know about Santa Clós
(sic). In Bayamón, the town where I grew up, we had The THREE KINGS!!! I would leave a shoebox
by my bedside every Jan. 5, filled with grass. Then, according to tradition, three
kings would come to my house in the middle of the night and leave presents in
it. I, as many of the other Boricua kids, believed the camels would actually
eat the grass, cuz the boxes were empty on the next morning ...(scratches chin)
Mmmm!
There was much anxiety in the "barrio" the night of the 5th... and needless to
say, we went to bed with much anticipation. What if I left my toes uncovered,
too close to the edge of the bed and the camels chewed on them, or... what if
they pooped on my floor… inside the box? Or worse... what if the Three Kings
missed my house altogether? Ay, Bendito! The HORROR!!!
I, for one, never thought that the observance of Los Tres Reyes Magos, or
three "magician" Kings (gr. magos-sorcerer) kings, would end.
[Greek-
μάγος magos = mag'-os foreign origin a Magi, that is, Oriental scientist; by
implication a magician: - sorcerer, wise man.]
I
moved to the United States
when I was 24, but still Santa Claus NEVER replaced the Three Kings, at least
not in my heart. Even as the years
have gone by, now that I am 60 years old, and somewhat immersed in
the American culture, I have taught my children the wonderful tradition of Los Tres Reyes Magos. Even my wife and I put out our little boxes... kind of
joining in the action. It's gotta be fun!!!
My father-in-law, a Mexican-American who is 83 and lives 50 miles away in the
desert, also puts out his little box. Get this... his little box is is as big as
a can of sardines. Humble, I say!
So... let me give you a bit of background on this very important very part of Puertoricana...
Yes, there are twelve days
of Christmas and they begin on Christmas Day and they end on January 6. The
twelve days of Christmas end with the Feast of Epiphany also called "The
Adoration of the Magi" or "The Manifestation of God." Celebrated on January
6, it is known as the day of the Three Kings (or wise men/magi): Gaspar,
Melchor and Baltazar (Spanish names).
According to a Bible story, these Three Kings saw, on
the night when Christ was born, a bright star, followed it to Bethlehem and
found there the Christ child and presented Him with gold, frankincense and
myrrh.
January 6, the last day of Christmas, comes with its own traditions, rituals
and symbols. Carolers are going from house to house; in many homes the
Christmas tree is taken down and in some areas, it is burned in a big bonfire.
For the children this is an especially joyous occasion because, associated
with taking down the tree goes the "plündern" (raiding) of the tree. The
sweets, chocolate ornaments wrapped in foil or cookies, which have replaced
the sugar plums, are the raiders' rewards.
The history of Christmas, (the festival of the nativity of Jesus Christ,)
is
intertwined with that of the Epiphany. The commemoration of the Baptism
(also called the Day of Lights, i.e. the Illumination of Jesus) was also
known as the birthday of Jesus, because he was believed to have been born
then of the Virgin or reborn in baptism.
In some records Christmas and
Epiphany were referred to as the first and second nativity; the second being
Christ's manifestation to the world. There!
“I never became so Americanized that I forgot the Three
Señores nor where I came from,” I told a
friend recently. “Inasmuch as my peers did not celebrate the same holiday
(they did the "Santa" thing), it was not for me to abandon such a rich and
rewarding custom.”
I believe that as Puerto Rican "ausentes" living away from the Island, it is
imperative that we revive the Three Kings holiday and other Puerto Rican
traditions with our families as part of our roots.
Like me, a growing number of Boricuas in Los Angeles and the nation are
rediscovering their roots. There are, however, many Puerto Ricans in the USA
who have never lived in Puerto Rico but hold fast to the traditions that their
parents taught them as children... Some have dubbed these Boricuas “born again
Latinos” — Boricuas who grew up in an English-speaking environment, who speak
little or no Spanish and have reached over the "charco" (pond)
to embrace their
cultural heritage.
The amazing growth in the Latino population in America and the resurgence of
many Puerto Rican actors, pop stars and other celebrities (who aren't ashamed
to say... "I am Boricua"), have inspired many of the other more assimilated Latinos
to come to terms with their displaying of their heritage as cool. Celebrities who
show Boricua pride, like Jennifer Lopez and Jimmy Smits, have done a lot to
inspire many who were otherwise apprehensive to show that they are Puerto Ricans.
Boricuas in a Los Angeles Festival dress up to show
kids the Gift of the
Magi and polyester beards
There appears to be a trend and thirst for Puerto Rican heritage and the Quest
back to our Roots. In many communities Latinos in leadership have become more
visible in the past decade. In Allentown, PA, they now make up a quarter of
the population; in Bethlehem, PA (not Israel), 18 percent; and in Easton, 10 percent.
Those who
research and come to terms with their roots find it easier to display their
heritage in public... and it's curious to notice that earlier Irish. Italian and German
immigrants went through similar tug-of-wars until finally coming to being and
feeling accepted.
It is sometimes sad that Boricuas in the USA do not feel the need to fit in
the USA Spectrum of Boricua Heritage. Many who come to my house find it
curious that I have so much Puerto Rican art, souvenirs and other paraphernalia
on my walls...
In contrast, many who are being educated about culture become more proud of
who they are, allowing our language, family and traditions to become more
important.
This is evident by the amount of "cachibaches"
(bric-a-brac) that we bring when
we visit Puerto Rico. Most of this education is simply learning Spanish and
taking Latino Studies classes at local Community Colleges.
Still many Boricuas in the USA have relatives that speak Spanish, a
language they do not understand or speak... from a country they know nothing
or very little about.
So make plans to spend a year or two in Puerto Rico to immerse yourself in
your wonderful culture and language... then go into your grandparents’ house
and speak to them in their native tongue. That is the best way to connect
with them.
For $35 per ticket, a mega church In Los Angeles, sports a "real life" 3 kings Adoration, complete
with real camels,
flying angels, sheep and the works. There are also one or two
"shepherds" with dustpans and mini brooms to pick up the "extra" gifts
dropped on stage by the camels and horses. Pheeew!
I remember meeting my Puerto Rican Pastor at a church where we once attended. He
was raised in New York most of his life and the Spanish he spoke was good but
"translated". So I told him one day: --“¿Que' jesto, Chico... M'chacho, you
have to speak ‘con sabóo’, nene!”
Immediately, I saw a big imaginary question
mark pop up on top of his head.. I knew that unless he volunteered the
information, many of his peers did not know he was Puerto Rican. As our
friendship grew, he spoke “Puerto Rican” more and more… Now he sees me and
says: “¡Oye, chico… ¿Qué jesto? ¡Bendito!”
As we grow older and get closer to that day where we shall leave this
Earth, we come to terms with what we have done with our lives… most of what will
be memories, AH! …And the certainty that we have made peace with all, fought the
good fight and owe nothing to anybody!
