ARCHIVED - Boris Johnson performing well in the Catalan Christmas pooper sales race

The nativity Caganers are a 200-year-old tradition which originated in Catalunya

It’s a sure sign that Christmas is coming when the annual translation nightmare of what to do with the word “caganer” rears its ugly head again, and as we near the start of the festive season that time of year is once again upon us.

The “caganer” is a tradition which is thought to have started in Catalunya, and which involves a figure which for over 200 years has been included in traditional cribs or nativity scenes. It has spread to other regions of Spain as well: in Murcia the figure is known as a “cagón”, and elsewhere as a “cagador”, and similar figures exist in Portugal and southern Italy.

The problem is that a literal translation of “caganer” is hard to provide without resorting to coarseness, but if we mince words a little then a polite version might be “man squatting in the act of evacuating his bowels”. Exactly what he has to do with the nativity scene is not certain, but for many Spaniards he is an essential element of the tableau. And why not?

Traditionally, the Caganer is depicted as a peasant, but for some years now “novelty caganers” have been produced and generally sell well. Some of the most popular among international known figures who have been shown in an undignified squatting pose in recent years are Donald Trump, Lionel Messi, Angela Merkel and a new addition in 2019 in Greta Thunberg, but this year it is reported that the Spanish singer Rosalía, who has recently been engaged in a highly public war of warods with far-right political party Vox, has stormed to the top of the caganer charts so strongly that the company caganer.com has sold out!

But as Boris Johnson seeks a majority at Thursday’s general election he will doubtless be delighted to know that he too has been deemed important enough to merit inclusion in the 2019 catalogue, an honour which has not been bestowed on Jeremy Corbyn. Joining him in the catalogue are fellow Britons Queen Elizabeth II, John Lennon, Gareth Bale, Elton John, George Michael, Bono, Mick Jagger, Mr Bean, Charlie Chaplin and Harry Potter, providing an interesting insight into those UK nationals of whom awareness is currently highest in the Catalan world view!

Images: www.caganer.com

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