The Sardine is a Burnin'

Not a real sardine, but of the paper kind.

We got a note home before the Carnaval that the kids were suppose to color 2 sardine scales (which I learned at the parade, before that I had no idea what it was) and write on the scale something that they want to see disappear.  It seemed a little fishy (ha ha, like that?) to me, but Karis was eager to join in with her classmates.  I really didn't know what we were joining in by doing this, but we let Karis do it.  Daddy helped her write it so I'm not sure what she wrote.  Brennan & Reegan were sick during that time and I just never got around to having them do it.

The 6th grade class got to carry the sardine that was probably about 6 feet long.

You can just see it peeking through there.  Not sure why the class chose to dress in all black.

It was then paraded back to the school grounds to be put in a barrel where it would be set on fire.

I read that the burning of the figure of a sardine has it's roots in pagan celebrations,  symbolizing an act of cleansing.  Burning of the old allows the growth of the new and is a process of regeneration and liberation.  Burning a figure at the end of a festival allows order to be restored following the temporary subversion of order during the festival.  Which means you can get away with virtually anything during the riotous days of partying and carnival atmosphere as long as everything is put right by this one act at the end of it all.

Interesting, huh?

The sardine is lit!

And burned to pieces while the kids watch (the preschoolers at a safe distance, as you can see)!

And there ya have it.  Carnaval in Spain.