After some postponement the reenactment of the nativity of Jesus took place in our village. This is a yearly returning event that attracts the population of our village and even people from outside. The medieval historical centre of our village is the scenery for this reenactment. My daughter A. loves to be a figurant within this historical event, the first year she was archangel Gabriel due to her blond hair and last year and this year she was a market vendor.
The first year I experienced it as if it were a fairy tale. They start at 5 pm when it’s almost dark, candles, torches and fires are everywhere in the historical centre and music is playing. In every cellar one can peek inside and see ancient crafts depicted. One can see various crafts as potters, carpenters, shepherds, bakers, medieval pubs etc. There are living animals everywhere and people in medieval costumes. Jesus, Maria and Joseph are always one of the families that just had a baby. It really is a spectacle when you see it for the first time, but every year is a copy of the previous years. The same as all the processions that take place throughout the year. It’s a handfull of fanatic Catholic ladies in their sixties who are kidnapping these events for their own benefit; ascension.
My partner P. asked me if I was coming along with him and my son J. to watch the living nativity. My first reaction inside me was a firm no, then I started arguing with myself. For what reason should I go there? I’ve seen it twice and it’s always the same. It’s not really a social event in the sense of really talking to people. Why on earth should I go? P. said: “I go and see how A. is doing.” Yes of course my daughter was there and our American friend J.&A. were also figurants this year. So I pushed myself to go there and be “social”. I brought A. some cookies and water since the figurants are standing for a few hours without anything to eat or drink. I made myself useful to take on the catering for A.
I chit chatted to a few people and saw all the things they had the other years too. I expected myself to be more irritated for going somewhere I initially wouldn’t go by myself. I saw the uselessness of the whole event. If people can mobilize each other to do these things why aren’t they able to mobilize themselves and each other for life? If someone would have told them that God doesn’t exist in the way they believe, that no one has to obey to the Catholic Church in order to go to heaven since heaven doesn’t exist anymore, that one does not become a good person if one participates in these church events, what if they understood this message? The Living Nativity wasn’t there anymore nor the processions. When you ask them they do not know why they participate. In little villages as ours boredom isn’t difficult to find if one needs stimuli from outside to be moved. These festivals are a welcome distraction from the life they live.
I only see these zombies walking or participating every single year again and getting exited over and over again. Maybe that’s what I miss, I do not experience it in the moment. I’m already viewing it through the memories of last year and the year before. Defining it as useless. I need to understand that these events are part of my world so my creation. If I reject a part of my created world than I reject a part of myself. So judging it is judging myself. What I’m rejecting here is religion and what religion has done onto life, but I accepted and allowed religion in my own created world till so far…I no longer participate within it and I will be the living example of one that doesn’t need religion to feel alive or as the purpose to live for. Religion is entangled within the polarity of good and bad, therefore it has to be neutralised in order to make place for life as all as equal.
Sylvia's writing to freedom 