1. Tapas 17-11-16 1. ¿Cómo estás hoy? 2. ¿Cuál es tu estación favorita?
3. ¿Qué te gusta hacer en tu tiempo libre?
4. ¿Cuál es tu clase favorita?
5. ¿Qué haces en el verano?

2. Vejigantes de Puerto Rico
Historical Background:
Like most popular celebrations, CARNAVAL has religious roots, dating back to the 11th or 12th centuries, when according to tradition, the apostle James appeared to the Spanish Catholic Army and led them to victory against the Moors.
The Festival of St. James, patron Saint of Spain, celebrates this victory of good versus evil. THE VEJIGANTES, revelers in colorful costumes and masks, represented evil; demons scaring parishioners back to church, the Moors during their invasion of Spain.
Later, the vejigantes represented the current evil forces such as the Spaniards’ oppressive rule over the Taínos and the Puerto Rican people and are a symbol of resistance against colonialism. The vejigantes were even mentioned in Cervantes’ Don Quijote, written in 1605.

3. Description of the Vejigante:
THE VEJIGANTE is a very important component of Puerto Rican Folklore. It is mainly seen during Carnaval, and mostly in the towns of Loíza and Ponce. They also appear in the famous Festival de las Máscaras de los Santos Inocentes in Hatillo (Festival of the Masks of the Holy Innocents Dec.28).
The traditional colors were red, yellow, white and black, but today all bright colors may be seen. The costume is a clown or bat-like outfit with wide legs and arms, made of yards of bright color fabrics and decorated with bells, pompons, ribbons, etc. The masks vary according to town, but they all have horns, bright colors, sharp teeth and other features that make them look evil. In Ponce, the masks are made of papier-maché.

4. There are but a few traditional mask makers in the area and their craft is highly regarded and considered an art form. Masks sell for hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars, depending on the artisan. The masks of Loíza, on the other hand, are made out of coconut shells. The insides are peeled off to fit the human face and the horns and other details are added. They are also highly regarded as examples of authentic Puerto Rican art.
One additional item completes the Vejigante costume and is the source of its name: all Vejigantes carry a balloon, or vejiga, tied to a string, and use it to scare people by chasing them and hitting them with it, all in good fun. The vejiga is a clean, dried cow bladder that is blown like a balloon. The name Vejigante is an obvious derivation from the word vejiga.

5. The Celebration:
Carnaval is celebrated throughout the week prior to the beginning of Lent. The events combine three fundamental cultures that make up Puerto Rico: African, Spanish, and Caribbean. Traditional Bomba and Plena music is played. People dance on the streets, the Vejigantes chase the revelers with their vejigas, lots of food and drink everywhere.
There is King Momo, the king of the Carnaval, traditionally someone well known in the community. The Carnaval comes to a close on the Tuesday before Lent with the Burial of the Sardine – a mock funeral and the burning of the coffin that symbolizes the burning of the sins of the flesh. The next day Lent begins, with all the decorum, solemnity and religiousness of the season.

6. 1. el Carnaval – carnival
2. la fiesta – party
3. la celebración – celebration
4. el disfraz – costume
6. el Vejigante – carnival character
7. los cuernos – horns
8. la maldad – evil
9. las maldades – pranks
10. la bondad – good
11. las fiestas de pueblo – town celebrations
12. el santo patrón – Patron Saint
13. Santiago – Saint James
14. los moros – the moors
15. los cristianos – Christians
16. los espíritus – the spirits

7. 17. la bomba y la plena – traditional music
18. la cultura – culture
19. el entierro – burial
20. la sardina – sardine
21. el Rey Momo – King Momo- the king of Carnaval
22. el pueblo – town
23. los pecados – sins
24. la reina, el rey – queen, king
25. la coronación – the coronation
26. las comparsas - groups of revelers in costume