TYPICAL INFORMATION - NUEVA ESPARTA.

Children’s Games: Among the most common “sepeserepe”, “la pava loca”, “el tamboreé”, “la ronda”, “la cinta verde”, “la candelita”, “la balasentá”, “el fardo”, “el cucambé”, “el talión”, “el tibiribirón”, “el zapizapato”, “el pirinduñe”, “la cañabereca”, “el negrito y el mar como su bocao”, “el trique y el tribilín”.

Adult Games: Still maintained “dominó”, “la ronda”, “el truco”, “carga la burra”, “la pelea de gallos”.

Legends: Among others, “the man that ground with the devil”, “the dead hunter”, “the iguana that spoke to a Gabino”, the zambo geminiano bird”, “the balck mans hair bush”; “the saintly paraulata”; “the hills”, “the cloud formation”, “the way to Santiago”, “why the snakes slither and the pigeons fly low”.

Music: Famous are the “gaitas”, “polos”, “malagueñas”, “jotas”, “sabana blancas”, “zumba que zumba”, “galerones”, “puntillantos”, “ensaladillas”, “aguinaldos”, “cantos de pilón”, “seguidilla”, “corríos”, “estribillos”.

Musical Instruments: There are “cuatros”, “maracas”, guitars, drums, “cumbias”, “furrucos” or “foco focos”, “charrascos”, “bandolas”, “bandolines”, “pitos”, and “guaruras”, most of local manufacture.

Dances: Well known are the “mud dance”, “the turkey”, the “fun dance” and the “chimichimitos”.

Fun: Among the dancing pantomimes, most famous are the “King Fish (carite)”, “la burriquita”, “la vaca”, “el róbalo”, “la chuiquía”, “la conocía”, “el vapor”, “la osa”, “el venado”, “la iguana”, “la balandra”, “el mono” and “el sebucán”.

Drinks: “Chinguirito”, “consigue rum” and the “guarapita”.

Dress: Femenine exterior – “bata” or “batola” (a long robe), “ropón” or “camisón” (long short as pijamas), “saco” and “saya” (flowing skirts as underwear). Femenina underwear – “cota” or “cotilla” (short short as brassiere), “pantaleta de pierna” (long legged panties), “camisola” or “túnico” (under robe), “naguín” or “media nagua” (short tight pants), “nagua (enagua)” or “refajo” (tights). Masculine exterior – a change of clothes made of fiber material for work at sea or land, and pants with shirt for rides, walks, parties, etc. Masculine underwear – undershorts and sleeveless shirt.

Shoes: “cotizas”, “chinelas”, “babuchas”, “botines”, “alpargatas”, “tabacaleras”, “orejetas” and “cholas” (slippers).

Hats: The “cogollo” hat – white and painted, of wide or short rim, of common top or mule top. For the ladies, “pavas” or “chambelonas”.

Arts and crafts: Pots and crockery at “El Cercado”, Eláter, tobbaco, “cogollo” hats, “piñonate” (a local candy made of pineapple and sweet potatoe), “alpargatería”, baskets, “parape” and “carey” (turtle back crafts), “chinchorros” (local hammocks) and “escapularios” (patron saint necklaces), “petates”, “panadería” (bakery goods) and candy. From coast fishermen: “chinchorro” (loosely woven hammocks), “trenes” and “atarrayas” (types of fishing nets” and hooks. On the way between Porlamar and Juan Griego we will find ourselves on the “weavers track”, as half way through, at the town of Santa Ana, from time back in history has been outstanding in fine confection of “chinchorros” which with a wide variety of fibers offer the best way to take a nap. Also, there is a great variety of traditional hammocks, woven by fine and expert ancestral hands, each town weaving their own tradition.

Further ahead, nearly arriving at Juan Griego, we will find the town of “La Vecindad”, where artisans weave with their laborious hands baskets, hats, etc. representing local tradition across our borders. Vegetable fibers are also a leading figures in Margarita’s handicrafts. Baskets can be found in the Guacuco area, as well as hats and “mapires” (long woven bags), made by expert hands of weavers of San Juan Bautista and Pedrogonzález.

Very close to Santa Ana, we will find the small town of El Cercado, the center of Margarita’s pottery making since many years, using three types of earth, brought from “La Cruz” hill, to make decorative and useful pieces.

Myths: Local beliefs – the devil, “la chinigua”, “la llorona”, “la colmillona”, “los pájaros del diablo”, “los duendes”, “los chimichimitos”, “los sinamos” or “chinamitos”, “el pez Nicolás”, “la sirena”, “el chivato del cielo”, “la mula manía”, “la puerca parida”, “la gallina sacada”, “los entierros condenados”, “el maldeojo”, “el santiguao”, and “el tirano Aguirre”.

Traditions: It was customary to celebrate Easter Week, by noy eating meat, putting in water the egg of a black hen to see the future; cutting one’s hair on the day of John the Baptist; dressing up in costumes of ghosts on the day of the dead; dancing and singing “parrandas” during Christmas time, etc.

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