The phrase piñata de 7 picos refers to a piñata that has as its original shape a star with seven peaks and each one of them symbolizes the seven deadly sins: laziness, envy, gluttony, anger, lust, greed and pride. When the piñata is broken, they are eliminated from our lives.
SYNONYMS FOR La piñata de 7 picos
- Pot-bellied pot figure.
- Marmite
- Perol
- Vessel
ORIGIN OF La piñata de 7 picos
For some, piñatas originated in China. Different records show that there the Italian explorer Marco Polo observed figures of cows, oxen and buffaloes covered with colored paper to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
It was documented how people beat these figures hard with sticks of various colors until seeds came out of these piñatas.
For this reason, many believe that Marco Polo brought this tradition to Italy and when piñatas arrived in Europe in the 14th century, they were adapted to the Lenten tradition. The first Sunday became “Piñata Sunday”.
It is worth noting that in Italy, the word “pignatta” means “fragile pot”. In Spain this tradition also arrived, only that the first Sunday of Lent was called “Danza de la Piñata”.
For others, it originates in Mexico as a tradition inherited from the ancient Mayas and Aztecs, who played at breaking, blindfolded, a clay pot that was swung by means of a rope. These pots were filled with fruits and grains that represented the abundance granted by the gods.
CURIOSITIES OF La piñata de 7 picos
In Latin American countries such as Venezuela, piñatas are used to celebrate children’s birthday festivities.
Rather than having 7 peaks, piñatas in this country have figures of movie or cartoon characters and each child or parent chooses the piñata with the theme of the figure most loved by the birthday boy or girl.