23 Feb The Closing of Carnival with the Burial of the Sardine
By Natalie Warner
Carnival in Panama is a fun celebration encompassing various aspects of culture, folklore, and history. The tradition of Burial of the Sardine, Entierro de la Sardina in Spanish, is one last shebang before Carnival’s end. The burial symbolizes the end of Carnival and the beginning of Lent.
The exact origins of the Burial of the Sardine are unclear. Do an online search and you’ll find various legends. One story indicates that the tradition began during the time of Carlos III. As a kind gesture, King Carlos decided to distribute the fish to the people for Lent. As luck would have it, the sardines were bad and were buried.
Townspeople enjoyed the burial so much that a group, Cofradia del Entierro de la Sardina, Merry Brotherhood of the Burial of the Sardine, was created in order to recreate the burial the following year. The rest, as they say, is history.
Another theory is that it served as a replacement for an older traditional protest against the Catholic Church regarding fasting. A parade occurred which included straw effigies being burned or drowned. Parade participants would dress up as priests or nuns in a fake funeral procession carrying household objects in lieu of traditional Church items; sardines were buried as a way to show their disapproval of having to fast.
Whichever story you choose to believe, this burial dates to the 18th century. This tradition has since spread and now ends Carnival. Its popularity spread fast. Spanish painter Francisco Goya even created a painting depicting the event.
This tradition takes place during dawn on Ash Wednesday and is the last parade of Carnival. Crowds gather for this event. Like other aspects of Carnival, each town in Panama has their own take on the burial.
In general the queen buries a symbolic sardine during the parade. The sardine and coffin can take various forms. Effigies are common. A person may also be dressed as a sardine as part of the symbolism. Large sardine tins are also popular. Mourners dress up and partake in the parade while putting tissue to their faces. Sometimes it can be hard to tell they are mourning, since the eye dabbing often occurs in between upbeat dancing and laughing around the sardine and coffin. No Carnival celebration would be complete without loud music and fireworks.
The Burial of the Sardine is a symbolic tradition with Spanish roots. It is a fun and celebratory way to mark the end of Carnival and the beginning of Lent.