CHANGE is seen in Madrid’s traditional Christmas parade

The Cabalgata is the traditional parade of The Three Kings in Spain. This day is the climax of the Christmas celebrations in this country, as children expect gifts and sweet from the three kings, as other children expect Santa Clause in other countries. Although the dates are different, the idea behind it is the same: children are given the chance to believe in magical characters which reward them if they’ve been good. The annual parade for the celebration on the 6th of January has always been an opportunity for the local government of Madrid to gain public support. Until this year, the cabalgata in Madrid has been one of the most traditional looking parades in Spain. If other cities have had one of the kings represented by a black man for years, Madrid has maintained until 2016 the “tradition” of a black-faced white man as the representative for Balthazar. This racist practice, which has been annihilated from many Western cultures a long time ago, is striking considering the wave of immigrants in the last 30 years in Spain. You would think that an increasing ethnic diversity would put a stop early on to practices as racist as black faced men, and it did happen in other major cities in Spain, except Madrid. As the story goes, Madrid finally catches up to the realities of the world, and has had a particularly diverse parade this year. The change can be linked with the fact that the local government of Madrid has changed last year. The elections in 2015 brought down the 20 years dominance of the conservative Popular Party, as the newly elected government is led by a left- wing activist named Manuela Carmena. The changes in the parade represent her connections with different civil society organizations which are against racism, animal cruelty, and promote cultural diversity. For the first time, the three kings were not accompanied by live camels or geese, but people were welcomed to dress up as animals and participate in the parade. The issue of the black king Balthazar has always been a sore point in discussion between left and right wing politicians as it is seen by many as a reflection of inability of Spain to integrate their immigrant in the society. The parade also included representation from all around the world, such as African tribal dances, a gigantic paper Elephant from India, a huge Chinese dragon, and even a multitude of characters from the hip Star Wars Saga. In the end, the change continues to be an issue of debate between generations, as many parents and grandparents complain that the change is not good, while young people support that the new ideas improve the outdated model of the cabalgata. As the world changes, I believe it is time for everyone to make room for empathy and kindness, especially during Christmas holidays.

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