The History and Modernization of the Caganer: From Catalan Tradition to International Fame

A woman picks up a caganer figurine in a store in Barcelona (REUTERS/ Albert Gea)

The figure of the caganer or cagón is the one that attracts the most attention each year in Spanish nativity scenes at Christmas. Of Catalan tradition, the little character who “fertilizes the land” has his lovers and his detractors, with the occasional controversy in his history.

In recent times, the figure has been modernized and its more conservative representation varies to become public, historical or fictional figures that provide a different touch to the nativity scene. Stars like Michael Jackson or Harry Potter himself can be found hidden very close to where families place the birth of Baby Jesus. This originality has made some designs very popular.

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In 2002, the company Caganer.com began producing Christmas figurines representing well-known faces. Due to its success, it has continued manufacturing and each year adds new characters to the cast.

Carles Puigdemont continues to be among the best sellers. The Catalan politician made his first appearance as a caganer in 2016 and has been a best-seller for the company since then. Puigdemont is represented in a black suit, with a tie bearing the Estelada flag and in the traditional crouching position.

Image of the caganers of Carles Puigdemont and Mariano Rajoy (Caganers/X)

Also appearing in the top 3 of its sales, behind the traditional caganer, are the Americans Donald Trump and Barack Obama. Other faces of international politics are those of Angela Merkel, Silvio Berlusconi or Vladimir Putin, without disregarding that of the current Pope Francis.

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In terms of sport, the star figure is undoubtedly Leo Messi. The Argentine footballer appears in the repertoire for the first time in 2011 and since then there have been multiple representations of him: with long hair, short hair, golden ball in hand, raising the World Cup… The last one, Presented in 2023, it shows him wearing the shirt of his new team, Inter Miami. Along with him, Barbie, Shrek, Da Vinci, Marco Antonio and Mbappe have entered this year.

Leo Messi’s Caganers (Caganers/X)

In 2022 came that of the popular singer Lady Gaga, who wore her famous meat dress. Other artists who have received the peculiar honor of appearing in the nativity scene shitting have been Rosalía, Elton John, Salvador Daí and Pablo Picasso.

According to tradition and culture, the caganer is returning to the earth what comes from it, fertilizing the soil of the manger and making it fertile for the following year. For this reason, it is considered a symbol of health and prosperity and, ultimately, happiness for Christmas.

Its traditional representation, as explained by Barcelona City Council, is that of a man with a barretina (wool hat in the shape of a bag), crouched down and with his buttocks in the air, who smokes a pipe or a cigarette and who sometimes reads the newspaper.

Historians still do not agree on the origin of this popular Catalan figure. The representation of him can already be found in paintings from the end of the 16th century, more specifically in those of the Flemish artist Joachir Platinir, who hid him in some of his paintings such as “Landscape with Saint Christopher”.

“Everything seems to indicate that this character was introduced into the manger at the end of the 17th century or the beginning of the 18th century. But she was not at all a newly created image: the old tiles of the offices had already represented her,” explains the Consistory.

Thus, some place its first appearance in the 14th century, sculpted on a stone in the town of Ille-sur-Têt, belonging to the French Roussillon region. Others argue that it is inspired by the marble relief called The Virgin and the Mountain of Montserrat, where the figure can be found hidden behind a tree.

2023-12-19 21:34:13
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