Gigantonas

These large, colourful lady puppets are usually manned by boys, accompanied by a gang of their friends, one of whom should have a large papier-mache head of a dwarf man and the others skipping about drumming out a noisy rhythm with little drums. The puppet represents a Spanish colonial woman, and the dwarf her admirer who follows her reading poetry and moralising. It's a tradition going back years and even includes an annual competition to pick the best combination of dancing lady, moralising man and costumes. A gigantona preparing to dance in the competition in the square.

The boys see it as representing their neighbourhoods and parade around the streets throughout the entire Christmas period hoping to earn a few pennies as they go.

With Rachel outside a gigantona workshop