A show of faith for all to see
Even after Christmas, many L.A. homes are adorned with lights, ribbons, ornaments and the occasional inflatable snowman or Santa -- colorful, brightly lighted decorations that are easy to see from the confines of a speeding car.
To see the intricate works of nacimientos, however, you’ll need to either slow down or ditch the car entirely. These Latin American Nativity scenes, found on many Eastside neighborhood lawns, porches and rooftops, are done in miniature and include hundreds of small pieces.
“They’re very different from what we think of as mainstream frontyards. People put their religious symbols in their frontyards. It’s all very personalized,” said James Rojas, 43, co-chairman of the Latino Urban Forum, a local group designed to raise awareness about issues in Eastside Latino communities.
Along with the Rare Times newspaper website and the Los Angeles County Bike Coalition, the Latino Urban Forum on Sunday is hosting both a bicycle and self-guided car tour of various nacimientos. The tour spans four hours, 13 miles and 16 displays in the Pico/Aliso, Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, Monterey Park, Highland Park and El Sereno neighborhoods.
Just as pine trees play a central role in the celebration of Christmas for most Americans, nacimientos are of primary importance for Latin American Catholics. A Latino tradition dating back to the 17th century, they are more than just seasonal decorations or devotional art pieces. They are personal expressions of life and faith.
Like other Nativity scenes, the centerpiece is the stable, where the newborn baby Jesus lies in his crib, with Mary and Joseph alongside. But in addition to biblical iconography, there are scenes depicting rural Latin America -- pigs, sheep and other farm animals, women making masa and tortillas, and any number of other items the nacimiento maker deems appropriate.
“These people aren’t really artists. It just shows what people have in their heads as far as creativity. They build these nacimientos based on what they visualize about an idyllic landscape -- what they know and what they aspire to,” said Rojas, who selected the 16 displays on the tour based on their originality.
Whether it’s a Boyle Heights home using a baby doll for Jesus with an infant car seat for his manger, or a Monterey Park display where a church was built from old Venetian blinds, all nacimientos are assembled from a grab bag of mass-produced, homemade and hand-crafted pieces.
One of the more elaborate nacimientos on the tour is in Lincoln Heights. Flanked by Christmas trees on either end, the living-room display is made from more than 1,000 pieces and features lights and music, as well as dozens of animals, flocks of angels and various landscapes -- a mountain, lake, desert, city and village.
Most nacimientos are built around Dec. 12, the day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a celebration of the patron saint of Mexico and Central America, and will be taken down just after Jan. 6, the day of the Epiphany. Until then, they are prime for viewing.
According to Rojas, “People love showing their nacimientos off.”
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Nacimientos/Nativity Tour ’04
When: Sunday, 12-4 p.m.; reception, 4-7 p.m.
Where: Starts at Casa de Adobe, 4605 N. Figueroa, L.A.; helmets required for all riders
Cost: Free
Info: (213) 892-0918 or www.theraretimes.com
Susan Carpenter can be contacted at susan.carpenter@latimes.com.