Las Tablas Carnival 2010: “Culecos”.

     In the Interior towns of the Republic of Panama is where most Panamanians celebrate the carnival tradition, by four consecutive days before Ash Wednesday.
     The carnival is organized by the people, divided into two streets, "Calle Arriba" and "Calle Abajo" (Up Street and Down Street), although in some villages or towns there is a third street. During this carnival festivities, the two streets are rivals and they compete to see who is better in the town's central park, where both "tunas" face other. They compete on who is better: the most beautiful queen, floats, fancy dresses, "murga" and "tuna". Generally, both “tunas” are considered winners by themself in each presentation.
     In this post I want to define three words that are important in Panamanian carnival tradition.
     “Tuna”: group of people and musicians who accompany and support their queen, either Up Street or Down Street, during their performances.
     “Murga”: group of musicians who play the songs of the queen during carnival; usually, they go in a float behind the queen; the song lyrics are to ennoble their queen, or to make fun of the Queen's family and her “tuna”. But they don’t mention names, only assumptions facts. You have to investigate who they talking about. All people who sing are behind their Murga or queen.
     "Culecos" or "Mojaderas" are made on the morning of carnival from 9 in the morning in the town's central park. The "Culecos” are made with tanker trucks parked on the streets around the park and throw water through hoses to all who attend. Each "Tuna" (Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo) presents a single float with the company of their "murga".
     In the "Culecos" or "Mojaderas" each queen goes on a float inspired by a specific theme, like her dress, trimmed with rhinestones, sequins, and feathers of exotic birds. Definitely, the queens are the only ones that are not wet, obviously, because the water would damage the dress and they would lose their grace.
     The videos that I posted are from Las Tablas Carnival 2010. The background music is played by a "murga", but it is only to give it a carnival atmosphere. They are not the songs that were sung and performed in this carnival. In addition, I posted the pictures of the costumes or fancy dresses that were exhibited at the "Reina Torres de Araúz Antropology Museum" in Panama City, weeks after the carnival. In this way, you can see the details of the costumes.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13th, 2010.
Calle Abajo de Las Tablas Theme: Cards Games
Calle Arriba de Las Tablas Theme: Diwali: Lights Festival - Nepal

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14th, 2010
Calle Abajo de Las Tablas Theme:  Valentine
Calle Arriba de Las Tablas Theme: Aphrodite

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15th, 2010
Calle Abajo de Las Tablas Theme: Romany Lineage - Gipsy Lineage
Calle Arriba de Las Tablas Theme:  Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne de Habsbourg-Lorraine: Forerunner of French fashion.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16th, 2010

Calle Abajo de Las Tablas Theme: Cockfights

Calle Arriba de Las Tablas Theme: The Music of My Land

Sancocho - Chicken Soup.

     Sancocho is a typical Panamanian chicken soup seasoned with yams, onions, cilantro, oregano, garlic, pepper, and salt. Its origin is in the Azuero Peninsula, to be precise in Los Santos Province. There are other ways depending on the region of the country where it is prepared. In some places other ingredients such as corn, squash, cassava and “otoe” are added . You can also find beef soup (Chiriquí Province) or fish soup (Colon Province).
     The soup is one of the most representative dishes of the Panamanian cuisine, and it is usually accompanied with a bowl of white rice. It's the dish that can not be missed on the restaurant menu in the country, and its low cost and taste is one of mayor demand.
     This revitalizing soup can be taken at lunch, at dinner after a hard day at work, and after a carousal to recover energy. In many country parties the soup is served between 2:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. for those who want to replenish their energies.
     Top “sancochos” are slowly being cooked first to smooth chicken meat, and afterwards so that the yam is tender and so it disolves, making the soup acquire a thick consistency.
     In the Interior, it is prepared in a large pot and stove with wood, giving the soup a smoky special taste. This type of Sancocho can be found in “fondas” (small restaurants) in the Interior during festivals, regional fairs and during Carnival.

     The soup has healing properties, it contains nutrients and vitamins, which can help to reduce cold symptoms. People make the soup when they have flu, an upset stomach or after a long night of alcohol consumption.

     On August 16th, 2003 and to celebrate the Centenary of the Republic, the world's largest Sancocho, called "The Centennial Sancocho” was made.

     To do this we had to compile a special stainless steel pot with its respective lid, as well as designing the stove (burners), how to hold it, the instruments of server and mix , using for the latter wooden oars, all which was a Guinness Record.

     The preparation of the Centennial Sancocho began at 5:30 am and ended at 11:00 a.m. People immediately proceeded to serve the soup in cups. The cost of each cup was $ 0.25, and the funds raised were donated to Hospital del Niño (Children’s Hospital), a public hospital.

     Some important Guinness Record data:

Pot size: 2.00 meters high and 3.00 meters in diameter.
Chicken and yam Quantity: 3.0 tons (3,000.00 kg.).
Onion Quantity: 1500.00 pounds (680.38 kg.).

Garlic Quantity: 80.00 pounds (36.28 kg.).

Cilantro Quantity: 60.00 pounds (27.21 kg.).

Oregano Quantity: 10.00 pounds (4.53 kg.).
Pepper Quantity: 5.00 pounds (2.26 kg.).

Salt Quantity: 80.00 pounds (36.28 kg.).

Water volume: 2033.00 gallons (9,148.50 liters).

Heat of the burners Gas: BTU 4,000.000.00.

Number of cups served: 21,365.00 dishes approximately of 12 ounces each.

Cost per cup: $ 0.25.

Number of Volunteers: over 300.