By Hadassah Cohen

A buzz of excitement and anticipation filled the walls of the meeting house, bringing it to life. Students sang, swayed, swung and lunged for candy. Onlookers clapped and cheered as their friends took on the challenge. Myriads of colorful piñata parts flew around the room giving way to the delicious treats hiding inside. By the end of the 35 minutes energy levels were down and sugar cravings were fulfilled. The only remnants of the piñata’s left were bits and pieces that had fallen off during the fun.

Spanish at the Field School not only entails the typical grammar and vocab of the language but also immerses students in the cultural aspects and traditions of Spain and Spanish speaking countries! Just before winter break Spanish 3 classes all took part in learning about, and creating colorful piñatas that helped them understand how they are a common element within Mexican culture. A major part of Mexican culture is the various celebrations and holidays that take place throughout the year. Piñatas are incorporated in various events such as birthdays, Christmas, and Cinco de Mayo and are dated back all the way to the 14th century. They are usually very vibrant and can be any sort of shape however are most commonly either donkeys or stars with seven points. 

Spanish 3 students created and then decorated stars with seven points and then filled them up with a variety of different candies, some being specifically from Spain.

Once the piñata’s were in their final stage the next step in the process was the fun part– breaking them open! 

A piñata was hung in the air, students were blindfolded and given a stick to swing with, and proceeded to attack their creations with force and luck. A song called Canción de la piñata was used to time how long each person could swing for. Each swinger started once the group began singing and ended with the lyrics “y tu tiempo se acabó” meaning time’s up. 

Sometimes the best parts of learning are when everyone is able to participate and throw themselves into the activity. This is a prime example of that. The Field school community showed up to take part and even those not enrolled in the class were drawn into the fun. It was an exciting and exhilarating way to be exposed to a different culture, whether you participated or simply watched.