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Ecuador’s strange New Year’s traditions

Robert Harding

Happy New Year to all! New Year’s Eve in Ecuador sees residents burning grotesque life-size paper maché figures known as ‘Los Viejos’, representing everything they want to see disappear from the past year. Some men dress as women, claiming to be the widows of los Viejos, and demanding money, which they spend on beer for their night’s celebrations.

Masks used to decorate Ao Viejos hang in a roadside stand in Tumbaco, a city near Quito, Ecuador, on Friday, December 30, 2005. On New Year's Eve people burn life-size figures called Ao Viejos. The Ao Viejos represent the past year and are symbolically burned to celebrate the coming of a new year. People decorate the Ao Viejos with colorful masks. Often the masks that are put on the giant dolls represent political figures. People also make figures representing themselves. For example, police may make an Ao Viejo that looks like a police officer. Some men dress up like women and claim to be the widows of the Ao Viejos. They stop traffic by standing in front of cars and making sexual gestures. The widows then ask the drivers for some money claiming that life will be difficult with out their "husbands", the Ao Viejos.

Masks used to decorate Los Viejos, hang in a roadside stand in Tumbaco, a city near Quito, Ecuador

Men dress up like women and stop traffic asking for change in Quito, Ecuador, on Friday, December 31, 2005. On New Year's Eve people burn life-size figures called Ao Viejos. The Ao Viejos represent the past year and are symbolically burned to celebrate the coming of a new year. Some men dress up like women and claim to be the widows of the Ao Viejos. They stop traffic by standing in front of cars and making sexual gestures. The widows then ask the drivers for some money claiming that life will be difficult with out their "husbands", the Ao Viejos.

Men dress up like women and stop traffic asking for change in Quito, Ecuador

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