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Thousands of "old-year" rag dolls to burn in Ecuador
Dec 31, 2011, 1:06 GMT
Quito - As they get ready to say goodbye to 2011, Ecuadorians are making thousands of dolls with rags, wood chips and paper, which they will then burn on the streets at midnight on New Year's Eve.
The dolls, known as 'old years,' are to be put at the door of every house, business or public space. They represent the year's bad moments and are to burn so that such moments disappear in the flames.
Despite municipal rulings that ban burning these dolls on the streets, people insist on maintaining the tradition, making December 31 what some critics call a bad day for pollution.
'Old years' are to remember political incidents, international wars and humorous incidents that have happened this year. Many will doubtless wear masks portraying presidents Rafael Correa of Ecuador, Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Barack Obama of the United States, as well as those of notable Ecuadorian footballers.
A parallel tradition has people in fancy dress collecting money on the streets to buy fuel for the midnight bonfire, which will be accompanied by fireworks and firecrackers.
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