By Aminah Khan, Staff Writer and Photographer
On Friday, Dec. 15, from 5 p.m to 7 p.m., FVHS Spanish Club hosted their first Posada to educate the students about the story of Mary and Joseph while introducing them to Mexican customs.
A Posada, meaning to “seek refuge,” is a Mexican Christmas tradition that is the reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s journey searching for shelter on their way to Bethlehem.
During a Posada, people are separated into two groups: one asking for shelter and the other group acting as hosts. They alternate between a song, and in the end, the host group invites the travelers into their home for a celebration.
The event held by Spanish Club was meant to show students how religion plays an important role in Mexican culture.
“The job of Spanish Club is to organize cultural activities for students that are part of the world language Spanish program,” said Spanish teacher Adriana Acosta.
Attending events like these hosted by Spanish club are also a great way for students to earn culture points for their mandatory culture projects.
The night of festivities included a performance led by Spanish teachers Omar Rivas, who sang with Mary and Joseph, and Jim Diecidue, who lead the hosting group.
After the songs, a pinata was broken and the celebrations began. Vendors offered homemade chicken, rajas (cheese) and pork tamales for $2.50. Along with these tamales, Mexican hot chocolate and sweet bread, pan dulce, were sold for $1.00 to provide an experience similar to a typical Posada.
“We want to show what this tradition is all about and we want to bring the students together as a community,” said Acosta.
