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A traditional Catalan caganer from the back.

A Caganer (IPA: [kə.γə.'ne]) is a little statue unique to Catalonia, and neighbouring areas with Catalan culture such as Andorra. Also known as L'home que caga, l'home que fa les seves necessitats. Catalan IPA: (català IPA: or []) is a Romance language, the national language of Andorra and one of several co-official languages in the Spanish autonomous communities of Balearic Islands, Valencia (under the name Valencian), and Catalonia. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Catalan grammar is the grammar of the Catalan language. ... // Diachronical Phonological Features in Relation to Latin Several characteristic features of Catalan as a Romance language: Like Occitan, loss of Latin final unstressed vowels, except -a; and then after some of the resulting consonantic groups a support vowel appears, e. ... The Institut dEstudis Catalans (IEC) is an academic institution. ... The Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua (Valencian Academy of Language) is an institution created on September 16, 1998, which depends on the Presidency of the Generalitat Valenciana. ... For other perspectives on the History of Catalonia, see also: History of Europe; History of Spain; History of France; Kings of Aragon; Catalonia (historic territory). ... History of Spain series Prehistoric Spain Roman Spain Medieval Spain - Visigoths - Al-Andalus - Age of Reconquest Age of Expansion Age of Enlightenment Reaction and Revolution First Spanish Republic The Restoration Second Spanish Republic Spanish Civil War The Dictatorship Transition to Democracy Modern Spain Topics Economic History Military History Social History... King of Aragons arms in 15th century The Crown of Aragon or Aragonese Empire was the regime of a large portion of what is now Spain, plus numerous Mediterranean possessions, for much of the later Middle Ages. ... // Origin: The Corts of Barcelona The Catalan constitutions were promulgated by the Corts of Barcelona (corts being the Catalan for courts). ... Furs of Valencia (Furs de València, in Catalan) were the laws of the Kingdom of Valencia during most of Middle Ages and Early modern Europe. ... The Treaty of the Pyrenees was a treaty signed in 1659 to end the war between France and Spain that had begun in 1635 during the Thirty Years War. ... The Nueva Planta decrees (Spanish:Decretos de Nueva Planta, Catalan: Decrets de Nova Planta) were a number of decrees signed between 1707 and 1716 by Philip V—the first Bourbon king of Spain—shortly after the end of the War of the Spanish Succession. ... Anthem: Els Segadors Capital Barcelona Official language(s) Catalan, Spanish and, in Aran Valley, Aranese Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 6th  32,114 km²  6. ... for the cycling team, see Comunitat Valenciana (cycling team). ... Capital Palma de Mallorca Official language(s) Spanish and Catalan Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % of Spain Ranked 17th  4,992 km²  1. ... Northern Catalonia (Catalan: Catalunya Nord; Spanish: Cataluña del Norte o Cataluña Transpirenaica; French: Catalogne Nord or Pays Catalan) is the name mainly used by the Catalan-speaking community to refer to the part of the historic Principality of Catalonia that came under French governance through the signing of... Language distribution in Aragon Map of Catalan Countries with current political borders La Franja de Aragón or La Francha de Ponent (Catalan for Western Strip) or La Francha de Lebán ( Aragonese for Eastern Strip), or simply La Franja, refers to four comarques in the east of the Autonomous... Alghero (LAlguer in Catalan and SAlighèra in Sardinian), is a town of about 35,000 inhabitants (down from 54,300 inhabitants since early 20th century) in Italy. ... Carxe is a city in Spain. ... The Generalitat de Catalunya (Government of Catalonia ) is the institution in which the self-government of Catalonia is politically organised. ... Capital Valencia Official languages Valencian (Catalan) and Spanish (Castilian) Area  – total  – % of Spain Ranked 8th  23 255 km²  4,6% Population  – Total (2003)  – % of Spain  – Density Ranked 4th  4 326 708  10,3%  186,05/km² Demonym  – English  – Valencian  – Spanish  Valencian  valenci... National motto: Virtus Unita Fortior (Latin: Virtue united is stronger) Official language: Catalan Capital:  - Population:  - Coordinates: Andorra la Vella 22,035 (1990 est. ... The General Council of the Valleys (in Catalan, Consell General de les Valls) is the unicameral parliament of Andorra. ... This is the main article about the politic activity in Catalonia. ... Catalan nationalism, or Catalanism, is a political movement that advocates the political autonomy of Catalonia or the Catalan Countries and in some cases, independence from Spain and France. ... Castells are human towers that are traditionally built during festivals in many places in Catalonia, Spain. ... Correfocs in Barcelona Catalonias festivals and traditions unify Catalan society and help to give it its particular character. ... Falleres in their dresses Traditional Saragüells costume for the men. ... The sardana (Catalan plural sardanes) is a type of circle dance typical of Catalonia. ... Parade of a Christian filà of Moros i Cristians festival in Alcoi (Alacant). ... The Tió de Nadal (roughly Christmas log), also known as Tió or Tronca (log), is a mythological character in Catalan mythology relating to a Christmas tradition widespread in Catalonia. ... Catalan myths and legends are the traditional myths and legends of the Catalan-speaking world, especially Catalonia itself, passed down for generations as part of that regions popular culture. ... Catalan-language writers Gabriel Alomar Vicent Andrés Estellés Pere Calders Salvador Espriu i Castelló Joan Fuster Manuel de Pedrolo i Molina J.V. Foix Maria de la Pau Janer Joan Maragall i Gorina Miquel Martí i Pol Jesús Moncada Jesús Montcada i Estruga Quim Monzó Teresa... Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) – also known by the Castilian version of his name, Antonio Gaudí – was a Spanish Catalan architect who belonged to the Modernisme (Art Nouveau) movement and was famous for his unique style and highly individualistic designs. ... Modernisme in Catalan, (not to be confused with modernism) is the Catalan variant of Art Nouveau. ... The Renaixença was a late 19th century romantic revivalist movement in Catalan language and culture. ... 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This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words see here. ... This article is about the historic territory. ...

The traditional Caganer

In Catalonia, as well as in the rest of Spain and in most of Italy and Southern France, the traditional Christmas decoration is a large model of the city of Bethlehem, similar to the Nativity scenes of the English-speaking world, but encompassing the entire city rather than just the typical manger scene. The Catalans have added an extra character that is not found in the manger scenes of any other culture. In addition to Mary, Joseph, Jesus, the Shepherds and company, Catalans have the character known as the Caganer. This extra little character is often tucked away in some corner of the model, typically nowhere near the manger scene, where he is not easily noticed. There is a good reason for his obscure position in the display, for "caganer" translates from Catalan to English as "defecator", and that is exactly what this little statue is doing — defecating. A traditional nativity scene from Naples, Italy A nativity scene, also called a crib or crèche (meaning crib or manger in French) generally refers to any depiction of the birth or birthplace of Jesus. ... Manger: A person that stands for freedom and all that is right, wants to be a god person against others, And you can call him a Funfreak A manger is a trough or box of carved stone or wood construction used to hold food for animals (as in a stable). ... Saint Mary and Saint Mary the Virgin both redirect here. ... Saint Joseph, also referred to as Joseph the Betrothed and as Joseph of Nazareth, was the foster-father of Jesus, according to the New Testament (Matthew 1:16; Luke 3:23). ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... In a draw in a mountainous region, a shepherd guides a flock of about 20 sheep amidst scrub and olive trees. ... Catalan IPA: (català IPA: or []) is a Romance language, the national language of Andorra and one of several co-official languages in the Spanish autonomous communities of Balearic Islands, Valencia (under the name Valencian), and Catalonia. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Defecation or feceation (known colloquially as pooping or shitting) is the act of eliminating solid or semisolid waste material from the digestive tract. ...

Possible reasons for placing a man who is in the act of excreting solid waste from his posterior in a scene which is widely considered holy are as follows: Holiness means the state of being holy, that is, set apart for the worship or service of a god or gods. ...

1. Just tradition.
2. Perceived humor. For actual humor, see Humour
3. Mythical Defecation by Dwarfs
4. Finding the Caganer is a fun game, especially for children.
5. The Caganer, by creating feces, is fertilizing the Earth. However, this is probably an a posteriori (no pun intended) explanation, and nobody would say they put the Caganer on the Nativity scene for this reason.
6. The Caganer represents the equality of all people: regardless of status, race, gender everyone defecates.

The exact origin of the Caganer is lost, but the tradition has existed since the 17th century.^[1] Originally, the Caganer was portrayed as a Catalan peasant wearing a traditional hat called a barretina — a red stocking hat with a black band. Look up humor in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Categories: Biology stubs ... A Posteriori is the title of the musical project Enigmas sixth studio album, released in September 2006. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... In a detail of Brueghels Land of Cockaigne (1567) a soft-boiled egg has little feet to rush to the luxuriating peasant who catches drops of honey on his tongue, while roast pigs roam wild: in fact, hunger and harsh winters were realities for the average European in the... Jacint Verdaguer wearing a barretina A barretina is a traditional Catalan hat that was frequently worn by men, especially in the countryside, until the 19th century. ...

The Caganer in the world of the jet plane

The Catalans have modified this tradition somewhat since the 1940s. In addition to the traditional caganer design, you can easily find other characters assuming the caganer position, such as nuns, devils, Santa Claus, celebrities, athletes, historical figures, politicians, Spanish royalty, and other famous people past and present, including Pope John Paul II, Salvador Dalí, prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Princess Letizia and even Osama bin Laden. The 1940s decade ran from 1940 to 1949. ... Nun in cloister, 1930; photograph by Doris Ulmann A nun is a woman who has taken special vows committing her to a religious life. ... The Devil is a title given to the supernatural entity, who, in Christianity, Islam, and other religions, is a powerful, evil entity and the tempter of humankind. ... A typical depiction of Santa Claus. ... Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul II. The Letter M is for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to whom he held strong devotion Pope John Paul II (Latin: ), (Italian: Giovanni Paolo II), born   [] (May 18, 1920, Wadowice, Poland – April 2, 2005, Vatican City) reigned as Pope of the Roman... Salvador Felipe Jacinto Dalí Domènech, Marquis of Pubol or Salvador Felip Jacint Dalí Domènech (May 11, 1904 – January 23, 1989), known popularly as Salvador Dalí, was a Spanish artist and one of the most important painters of the 20th century. ... José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (born August 4, 1960) is the Prime Minister of Spain. ... Letizia, Princess of Asturias (born Letizia Ortíz Rocasolano September 15, 1972, Oviedo, Spain) is the wife of Prince Felipe, Prince of Asturias, the heir apparent to the Spanish throne. ... Osama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Laden (Arabic: ‎; born March 10, 1957[1]), most often mentioned as Osama bin Laden or Usama bin Laden, is a Saudi Arabian militant Islamist and is widely believed to be one of the founders of the organization called al-Qaeda. ...

The practice is tolerated by the local Catholic church. Caganers are easiest to find before Christmas in holiday markets, like the one in front of the Cathedral of Santa Eulalia, which has tables and tables of caganers. Caganers have even been featured in art exhibits. Façade of Santa Eulàlia The Cathedral of Santa Eulàlia (also called La Seu) is the Gothic cathedral seat of the catholic Archbishop of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ...

Caganergate

In 2005, the Barcelona city council provoked a public outcry by commisioning a nativity scene which did not include a Caganer. As so often in Catalunya, many saw this as an attack on Catalan traditions, part of a campaign to extirpate Catalan language and identity from the face of Spain. The local government countered these criticisms by claiming that the Caganer did not feature because a recent by-law had illegalized public defecation and urination, meaning that the Caganer was now setting a bad example. Despite a campaign against this decision, and widespread media criticism, the 2006 nativity scene was again excrement-free.

Defecation and Nation, Excretion in Catalan culture

The caganer is not the only defecating character in the Catalan Christmas tradition—another is the Tió de Nadal, which also makes extensive use of the image of human waste production. Other mentions of feces and defecation are common in Catalan folklore, indeed, the act of defecation is one of the central planks of the Catalan national identity. One popular Catalan phrase before eating says "menja bé, caga fort i no tinguis por a la mort!" (Eat well, shit strong and don't be afraid of death!). The Tió de Nadal (roughly Christmas log), also known as Tió or Tronca (log), is a mythological character in Catalan mythology relating to a Christmas tradition widespread in Catalonia. ...

In recent years a urinating statue, or Pisaner, has been added to the christmas pantheon, but, unlike the Caganer, this addition should not be considered as an authentic Catalan tradition, as it is just silly.

Synonyms in other languages/cultures:

• In Dutch / Flemish : Kakkers / Schijterkes
• In French : Père la Colique
• In German : Choleramännchen or Hinterlader

See also

• Mooning - the act of displaying one's bare buttocks
• Kakkers - The Flemish, Belgian variation of the Caganer
• Tió de Nadal

Mooning, or giving the browneye is the act of displaying ones bare buttocks by removing clothing, e. ... The Tió de Nadal (roughly Christmas log), also known as Tió or Tronca (log), is a mythological character in Catalan mythology relating to a Christmas tradition widespread in Catalonia. ...

External links

• The caganer or shitter, nice character of Catalan tradition.
• Catalunya’s Christmas Caganer, from roughguides.com by AnneLise Sorensen, December 1, 2005.
• A Spanish Christmas and New Year, from Expatica, December 2004.
• Remains of the Spanish occupation of Flanders in the 16 th century ?, by Didier D'haese (Belgium), December 2004. ( Webpage in Dutch, French and English )

References

1. ^ Pooping peasant popular in Spain