The History of Pinatas

Most of us associate the pinata with Mexican fiestas and fun. Children try to break the bright treat-filled container with a stick, hoping to puncture it so they can rush to gather treats. But what is the history behind the pinata? What does it symbolize? Where did it come from? Although the pinata is largely associated with Mexican/Latin American culture, this practice does not originate in Latin America, but in Africa!

The pinata today is practiced as a Christian celebration in Latino cultures. It symbolizes the struggle of man and his faith. The traditional Mexican pinata looks like a sputnik with seven points that symbolize the seven deadly sins: greed, gluttony, sloth, pride, envy, wrath and lust. The person attempting to break the pinata represents the good overcoming the evil.

It was the Spanish conquistadors that were credited for bringing the pinata to Mexico. The Spanish missionaries used the pinata as a tool to help them get the attention of the indigenous people and convert them to Christainity. In Spain, the pinata was brightly colored so that it would grab the attention of a innocent person. The candies and fruit inside were seen as the temptations of the Devil. The blindfolded person hitting the pinata represented the "blind faith", and the stick he/she was using represented "goodness". After the pinata was finally broken, the candies gathered were seen as a "just reward". The moral of their ceremony: "all are justified through faith". Originally, the Spanish pinata was a clay container called "la olla" (pot) and was not decorated.

The Spanish pinata came from the pignatta of Italy. The pignatta, or "fragile pot", was made of clay and filled with trinkets, jewelry, or candies. It is said that it was Marco Polo who first brought the pignatta to Italy.