Fiestas Patrias: Come, bebe y baila cueca

So you’re a gringo and you want to know, what are Fiestas Patrias?

My extended host family

Brief Description and Oversimplified History:
Fiestas Patrias are celebrated on September 18 and 19…but the party starts the evening of the 17 and ends on the 20. The 18 (el Dieciocho) commemorates the first junta formed in 1810 in Chile during Spain’s colonial rule. Spain was experiencing problems with Napoleon and so a local government formed, giving Chile autonomy but not independence (which didn’t happen until February 12, 1818). Why September? Spring in this hemisphere starts the 21st so Fiestas Patrias is also a celebration of the end of winter. The 19 is Armed Forces Day, which is a big deal here, and there’s a 3 hour parade in Santiago.

How does one disfrutar (enjoy) this national holiday?
In a nutshell: drink a lot, eat even more, and dance cueca.

So now you’re thinking, “I’d love to get in on this Fiestas Patrias thing…but I’m from the USA and don’t know what to do.”

That is where I come in. Celebrating Fiestas Patrias is not a difficult concept. Here’s a brief how-to guide, featuring the staple food, drinks, and activities. With my guidance, you’ll be enjoying Fiestas Patrias in no time.

Eat, Drink, and Dance Cueca: Your How-To Guide to Fiestas Patrias

FOOD
This is perhaps the most important aspect, so pay close attention.

Two of my nieces, nephew, and me

Remember: VEGETARIANISM HAS NO PLACE IN FIESTAS PATRIAS.

The key component is CARNE (meat) and lots of it.
You had a wide variety to choose from:
Choripan: If chorizo=sausage and pan=bread, then choripan=small sausage (more flavorful than a bratwurst) in a toasted bun.
Anticucho: kabob with roasted meat and onions.
Carne asado: usually beef, roasted over a grill
Empanada de pino: Chile’s specialty, a pocket of dough filled with beef, onions, olives, and half a hard-boiled egg. Empanadas are eaten all throughout the year and the fillings can be different, but pino is the MUST for Fiestas Patrias.


DRINK
Second in importance only to food…but only because drinking on an empty stomach is a must NOT.

Helpful hint: The more you eat, the more you can drink without ending up “curada” like Tia Monica pole-dancing on the trellis.

Word to my mother: No te preocupes, although drinking is definitely an expected cultural aspect of Fiestas Patrias (especially since I am not a minor here), I promise that I did not overdo drinking.

Chicha: Fermented fruit, so it is sweet and tastes a lot like cider. Most popular drink of Fiestas Patrias, and served almost exclusively during this time of the year. It’s origins can actually be traced back to the indigenous people living in Chile.
Cola de mono: Literally, “monkey’s tail.” Mama taught me how to make it, and now I will pass on this knowledge to you. First you boil water with cinnamon and cloves, and then add sugar and stir. Add some instant coffee powder, stir, and then let cool. Pour the mixture into another pot with milk and add aguardiente (the alcohol—very strong stuff) to taste. Store in old Pisco bottles and chill. I have two words for you, QUE RICO.
Terremoto: Piña (pineapple) ice cream, a couple shots of rum, and white wine. The name translates to “earthquake”…and it is DEFINITELY an earthquake. Probably my least favorite Fiestas Patrias drink…though with much more ice cream, I think it has potential.
Canelito: Perhaps my favorite, but the one I know the least about. All I know is that it’s not too strong and has an aftertaste like a spearmint spice drop (which I adore).

Your non-alcoholic options at any asado are, as per usual, orange Fanta or agua con gas (carbonated water).


ACTIVITIES:
Eating and drinking are the primary activities, but here are some enjoyable supplementary options:

Cueca: Chile’s national dance, but you really only see it during Fiestas Patrias. Basically, it is a dance of the “conquest.” The man pursues the woman, who must play hard to get. Both have little hankies that they wave around. The steps are pretty simple, 3-step patterns in a half-moon circle. My host parents danced it for me in the living room—pretty much the most adorable thing I have ever seen. Mama and I then went over to Claudia’s apartment in the next building to teach me the steps and drink some cola de mono.

Asado: Basically, a barbeque. The rule? Attend as many as possible. I went to 3…one with the students from the program, the big family asado, and my niece’s friend’s asado. The family asado is the most important. We went to a town called Los Andes (located, curiously, in the foothills of the Andes Mountains). Someone in the family has a tiny house in the country there, so we all went to for a family asado. It was a really nice family day especially since my host family has accepted me like a member of their family. Even still, it was a little bittersweet because it reminded me of my own big family gatherings.

Ramada: The base of the word, “rama,” means “branch.” Ramadas in the past were little houses constructed with branches where people would have asados. Now, the word refers to what is basically a fair--booths (many of which are constructed with branches) selling typical food and drinks, artisan crafts, and games. If you are not at an asado with friends and family, then you better be at a ramada. Everyone goes, including the gringos, which is apparently newsworthy. A group of us students went together and ended up getting interviewed by the local new station.

You may have noticed trend by now—except for Cueca, all the activities have to do with food. Clearly, people gain weight during Fiestas Patrias. How much? There was a wide range of estimates, but the most common was 5-6 pounds.
To avoid said weight gain, us gringos went to La Campana, a national park, on Sunday. It was absolutely gorgeous; neither words nor pictures can quite do it justice. We hiked all day—the trail had very much of an incline so we really got a work-out. On the way down, we saw two huge tarantulas…actually very cool to see them in the South American wilderness.

After hiking, we had a completo to complete our Fiestas Patrias experience. I thought a completo sounded disgusting, but since it’s definitely an indispensible part of Chilean culture, I knew I had to try it at some point. And what better time than when I was absolutely starving and anything sounded good?
Completo: A hot dog in a toasted bun, topped with literally a mountain of tomatoes, palta (avocado), and covered with more mayonesa (it’s a cognate, I’m not going to hold your hand and translate on this one) than you ever need to eat in your life. You can get two sizes, normal or gigante. I have no idea how anyone could eat a gigante because completos are extremely messy…which means a perro vago (street dog) will follow you around to lick up the tomato-palta trail that any true completo will inevitably leave behind.

If you follow these simple instructions, you too can experience the glory that is Fiestas Patrias. Not only that, but you will come into contact with your inner Chilean, who is ready and waiting to eat, drink, and dance cueca.