V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 1
St . John Festival , celebrated on June 24th , marks the anniversary of birth for St . John the Baptist , 6 months before Jesus ’ birthday . The first part
Fiesta de San Juan EVE
of the festival is
People
St . John ’ s Eve . This includes around a symbolic elements like fire , bon fire water , and medicinal plants . A bon fire is created and people jump over it . Water was said to have healing qualities and that medicinal plants are at there best when you put
them into water from 7 different springs . Women traditionally collect plants like rue , rosemary , and lemon verbena on St . John ’ s Eve . On the Feast of St . John they gather a herb called St . John ' s Wort , which is said to keep evil away .
St . John ’ s Wort
P A G E 2
Between June
St . John ’ s Festival is celebrated with foods like , Chipa ( a cheese bread ), Payagua Mascada , Chicharo Trenzado , Mbeyu , Pastel Mandio , ect …
During the festival , people participate in different games and rituals . There ’ s pelota tata , which is a fire ball that
Fiesta de San Juan
is kicked around a crowd . Burning a Judas Doll at midnight is also an option that is filled with fireworks . While the dolls are burning , they explode . There are also people who walk on hot coals but somehow manage not to get burnt and people who climb up greased posts for money . After the festival is over a weird phenomena occurs . Every year , the day after St . johns day ,
Chipa the cold weather would start and the middle of September is winter in South America
Modern Paraguayan food is deeply influenced by Spain , but they do have there own twist because of the variety of crops found there . The 2 main base foods of Paraguayan cuisine are cassava and corn . Cassava is a root veggie that can also be identified
Paraguayan Food
as Yuca and Manioc . Cassava is used to make breads and cakes called Chipa . Corn is also important and is used in many different Paraguayan dishes like Bori Bori ( a soup filled with beef , pork , corn , and assorted veggies ). The main meal of the day is noon and it ’ s a corn based meal .
Celecia Blyden