The Season of “Hallacas”… Christmas in neighbouring Venezuela

Dec 25, 2019 News

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By Shervin Belgrave

December is my favourite month of the year. Mostly because I am what people consider a “foodie”. As I think of Christmas my mouth waters from the imagination of the different delicacies that are prepared during this festive season.

Being a tourist and a lover of different cultures, I have been able to experience the taste of dishes from many countries that are specially prepared for this most anticipated holiday of the year.
When I think of Guyana, the aroma of freshly baked homemade bread being dipped into the mouth-watering gravy from irresistible Pepper Pot rushes through my imagination.
Mention of Christmas in Guyana would switch my cravings on for the taste of black cake too. I can almost taste the rich flavour of El Dorado rum combined with dried raisins and flour.
I guess I am fortunate to have another perspective to share with you this season.
When I think of Venezuela, my second home, I relive my addiction to “Hallacas”.
Without this “sacred dish” Christmas is meaningless to Venezuelans.
For Venezuelans, Christmas revolves around “La Hallacas”.
PREPARATION
In November, the penultimate month of the year, families, farmers, churches and schools would begin their preparation for the

month ahead.
Corn farmers would make sure that the best produce of corn would be harvested for the market. Mothers would make sure that their shopping list is fully prepared to purchase everything that is needed for their home. Fathers ensure that there is sufficient supply of beers and “casique” (rum) for the entire month of festivities.
Bakers across the country are at their busiest, seeking the best ingredients to make that special “Pan de Jamón” (bread filled with ham, raisins, cheese, which is only eaten at Christmas time).
The clean-up and decoration campaigns commence for housewives and children.
Hours of long rehearsals at the cathedrals, schools, and universities are attended by many who were chosen to participate in the various religious festivals and masses scheduled for special dates.
DECEMBER CELEBRATION BEGINS
By December preparations are over. The abuelas (grandmothers) are now waiting in anticipation for the arrival of their children, grandchildren and great children. The moment is finally here, the most

cherished festival in the entire country, the preparation of “Hallacas”
Some may think of it as just a Christmas delicacy, but for Venezuelans it means something significant. It is more than just a dish; it is a cherished experience, one to remember for a lifetime. Hallaca is a culture, a sacred tradition which unifies families.
The word Hallaca derives from an old latin word “Ayuca” which means to help.
MY EXPERIENCE
In my family, this festival was always celebrated at my great grandmother’s house in a small village called Upata. Boarding the bus with my mother brought a feeling that cannot be described in words.
All I think about is the unforgettable experience of spending the season with “mi abuela” and socializing with “mis primos” (cousins). My mind would wander during the 12-hour trip as I anticipated the gifts I would be receiving from my

uncles and aunts. Then I’d dose off into sweet sleep.
I would be hunched out of my sleep by mom, “Wake up its time to get off the bus”.
We would then join a taxi to get to what I would call a family reunion.
Loud Christmas folk songs called “aguinaldos” playing on my grandmother’s stereo would greet us at the gate.
“Aye loco what’s up?” one of my cousins would shout as he ran to help me with my suitcase. The rest of the family would raise the alarm that we had finally arrived.
After tidying up, everyone would gather around a large table in the yard where instructions would be handed out by “grandma” for the Hallaca making festival.
The children would be tasked to look for banana leaves. The men would be given strict instructions to look for the best variety of beef, chicken and pork. They would also be responsible for ensuring that the best olives, fruits, mushrooms, corn kernels and vegetables are bought.
The teenagers would be given the responsibility to look for the best wine, beers and scented candles. The women would be responsible for preparation of all the meals and the planning of how much Hallacas was going to be made.
When all the ingredients are bought, banana leaves collected and the freezer is stocked with the exotic wines and specially-brewed beers, the festival begins.
The very next day bright and early, grandma would wake everyone up for breakfast.
After breakfast, my cousins and I would be sent to wash and quail the banana leaves we had collected over a fireside.
Mom would join my aunts in the boiling of the corn kernels in a large pot fueled by coal.
Meanwhile, the men would “cut up” the meat and prepare the rest of ingredients to make the stew.
After the kernels are boiled the women would then proceed to grind the boiled kernels in a mill to make dough. The “cut up” meat and essential ingredients would then be given to the women to prepare the stew.
This stew comprises a variety of meats, olives, dried fruits, mushrooms, eggs, onions and any other ingredient one may feel to add. When this is done, the aguinaldos (Christmas folk songs) would be played and a bottle of wine would be opened.
A toast would be made by grandma and every one participates in the final phase of the Hallaca making Festival. The dough would be separated into smaller portions, which depends on the number of Hallacas catered for. These smaller portions of dough will be flattened by a rolling pin, and the stew would then be placed in the centre. The remaining ends would then be folded carefully to cover the stew.
The next step is to wrap this now filled dough in a banana leaf and tie it at both ends with thread. After being wrapped, the Hallaca would be placed in a pot of boiling water to be boiled for about an hour.
When the hour is completed, the cooked Hallacas will be stocked in a reserve freezer. In the days leading up to Christmas morning, the family will participate in the masses of caroling.
The family would join other Venezuelans who would dress up in attires of Joseph, Mary, the shepherds, the angels and the three wise men.
There would be dancing, singing of Christmas songs, role playing and the distribution of hallacas to person who are less fortunate.
After the masses, other religious festivals also come to an end, such as the arrival of the three wise men, the dances of the shepherds and the purification of the virgin.
The remaining days before Christmas morning breakfast, are days of parties and celebration as a family. Special meals such as Lomo de Cerdo, Pernil, Pan de Jamon, stuffed turkey and of course Hallaca would be eaten and washed down with wine.
On Christmas Eve Night a special dinner would be prepared and the table laced with scented candles. Grandma, the oldest member of the family, would stand up and advise her family on the way forward for the New Year.
While we feast, affectionate words and Christmas wishes would be exchanged around the table. Everyone would then enter their beds feeling loved, happy and peaceful with the evening’s activity.
On Christmas morning everyone would stuff themselves in the living room for a time of gift exchange. Then there is a moment of laughter and chatter followed by a cook-out.
Once the celebration is over, everyone returns to their home to prepare for the end of the old year and dawn of the much-anticipated new one.
The Hallaca is always tasty and satisfying, but the taste is not what stays with me.
It is the story behind it; it is the experience of sharing memorable moments with family, it’s the cherished experience of working together as a family.
It is the time when family feuds are resolved, everyone leaves grandma’s house motivated and energized in spirit to face the challenges of the new year.
It leaves a mark in the minds of each family member.
This is why Christmas is meaningless without “Hallacas” for Venezuelans.

 

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