History of Pinata

Pinatas are centerpieces of birthday parties and other festive and celebratory events. Children try to break open the pinata to enjoy the bounty of candy and other goodies hidden inside. However, the pinata didn't always have its roots in children's entertainment.

The pinata is associated with the Latin culture. Yet, historians point to Asia -- namely China -- as the original point of origin. It is surmised that upon visiting China, famous traveler Marco Polo witnessed the Chinese creating colorful figures of animals covered in paper that were strung up with harnesses. These figures were used in celebrations for the New Year. Polo brought the ideas of these early pinatas to Europe.
Europeans linked the pinata with Lenten celebrations. The first Sunday of Lent became "Pinata Sunday," derived from the Italian word pignatta, meaning "fragile pot." The custom spread to surrounding areas, like Spain, where the Lenten celebration was transformed into a fiesta. The Spanish celebrated with the "Dance of the Pinata." They used a clay container for the pinata called la olla, the Spanish word for pot.

Word of the pinata traveled across the ocean to America. Spanish missionaries to North America brought their pinatas along. They covered them with colored paper to make them look scary, in the hopes of attracting people to their religious ceremonies.

Eventually, the pinata acquired a religious meaning. The decorated pinata itself was intended to represent Satan, who was believed to wear attractive masks to disguise his true identity and draw people to become sinners. The pinata took on a satellite form -- a ball with seven cones sticking out, each with streamers on the end. The cones represented the seven deadly sins or, pecados: greed, gluttony, sloth, pride, envy, wrath and lust. Candies and fruits inside the pinata stood for the temptations of wealth and earthly pleasures. Blindfolded participants were instructed to hit at the pinata in an effort to fight the forces of evil. The stick for breaking the pinata symbolized virtue. Once broken, the candies and fruits within the pinata represented the participants' reward for keeping their faith.

Slowly, the pinata lost its religious association and, today, it is generally regarded as a symbol of fun and entertainment. It can be used during the Christmas season or at birthday parties, and is no longer just reserved for the Latin culture; people of all nationalities and backgrounds take turns hitting the pinata. Yet, Hispanic families can still be heard singing traditional songs while taking turns at the pinata: "Dale, dale, dale, no pierdas el tiro, porque si lo pierdes, pierdes el camino. Esta pinata es de muchas manas, solo contiene naranjas y canas." (Hit, hit, hit. Don't lose your aim, because if you lose, you lose the road. This pinata is much manna, only contains oranges and sugar cane.) Lyrics courtesy of the Argonne Hispanic/Latino Club.