Last weekend, the Southron was privileged to be the only extranjero invited to a Uruguayan rite of passage for young ladies: Quince Años, the 15 year old’s birthday party.
This party is a combination of a US middle class “Sweet Sixteen” party, an upper class “Coming Out” debutante ball, and a solemn affair of State. The last time I was at something as elegant was at Ronald Reagan’s Second Inaugural Ball…
The party was held at the Hotel de Prado–an ancient hotel in Parque Prado that has been completely renovated to host affairs such at these. Its former elegance had been faithfully restored down to the details on the “gingerbread” moulding.
When we first arrived, the entrance looked a bit formidable for a wheelchair, but the parking lot traffic cops directed us to a more accessible place around back–the very same place where they trundle in the cases of beer and booze. (I might never have gotten in if this was a “dry” affair.)
Things were supposed to start at 9PM–we arrived at 9.30 and were among the first.
Everything was done perfectly. There were greeters in clown suits, who ushered people to their tables (it was just like something with Ronald McDonald, or a US National political party convention!) There was a main ball room and then a couple of side salons for the overflow crowd. Mercifully, we were seated in one of these–all the way in the back corner. This meant that I could at least hear most of what was going on, despite the dance music. Once seated, we were served a steady stream of potent potable and appetizers all the way until dinner; which turned out to be just a tiny bit later than I had anticipated.
The crowd looked to be above 200 people. My colleagues told me that there were present and former cabinet ministers in attendance–along with their personal (sometimes unrepeatable) opinion of each one.
I think things actually started around 11PM. (By that time I had consumed a goodly number of vodka tonics, so some things are a tiny bit hazy.) The band struck up “the Blue Danube” (Die Blau Donau for perfectionists) and the affair was well and truly begun. I couldn’t see much from the back–being in a wheelchair makes you shorter than anyone except midgets, tiny children, and most of the people in Central America–but I was told that the birthday girl started the affair by waltzing with each of her close male relatives–starting with the proud father. (I guess this way she gets the family out of the way and can spend the rest of the time making whoopee with her friends.) Later on, there was a 5 minute video of her life.
Then there was a lot of dancing. It started out with real music, but eventually it morphed into percussion only. At least it wasn’t rap. (It must be easier to dance to the beat of the drums if you don’t have to worry about little things like harmony and melody…)
As I recall, more or less, the starters for dinner appeared around 1AM, and the desserts around 3AM. The main course was obviously wedged in between somewhere, but, like a witness before a Congressional Committee, “I have no exact recollection of those events Senator…”
About 3.30AM things really got exciting–a troupe of belly dancers appeared. It was a real “dance of the seven veils” kind of thing right out of Aladdin and his lamp.
Shortly thereafter, being a mere gringo, I was wheeled, exhausted and half asleep, to the Land Rover and then taken home. I am certain the party went on until breakfast , and probably even later.
It was a spectacle to remember!
Thanks for the memories David.
Our daughter has two birthdates. One is December 22. The year she turned 15, we were flying into Uruguay on the 17th. My wife decided she would have a sweet 15. Your description of the events are typical. The very late start, the late appearance of the lucky girl. The late dinner. The post dinner entertainment. Yours had a belly dancing troupe. We rented a bus for a rather large Cantombe group from Montevideo and brought them to Piria.. around 3am as I recall.
Your guess is right about the time it ends. Our last guests left around 8:00am…
For a father, the waltz with your daughter, all dressed up in a flowing gown, is the high point of the night. I was so nervous, I took lessons before leaving Canada.
It’s a truly wonderful experience. Anyone who gets a chance to go one should get a siesta that day… as long as possible :)
If any readers have daughters who will become 15 here in Uruguay, this is an event of a lifetime. Take it.
Left by Fish on November 3rd, 2007
Interesting thing about the “quince”…
as you could probobly deduce the girl dress up in white to sybolize that she is a virgin and therefore “pure”. Needless to say that comes from a strong catholic background.
However….its interesting to note…if you happen to go to a “quince” and the girl is wearing a dress that is not “pure white” or if it happens to have a bit of color…traditionally that mean the the girl is not a virgin. Ive been to quite a few of them….I can help but look for those details :) It makes the whole expirience all that more fun!
Chris
Left by chrisyndb on November 12th, 2007
Hi Chris,
Interesting point. However, I have to say that’s a little bit old-fashioned. I’m in my sweet 36 :), don’t get invited to “quince” anymore (unless as one of the “old relatives”). Even when I was part of the girl’s friends (properly invited as a friend that is) I don’t recall that colour coding even in the 80s. Let alone these days.
In fact I don’t think that anyone would publicise the girl’s “virginity state” that vividly… In those instances that the girl was wearing anything but white, it usually meant:
1) “too cool” to conform
2) not enough money to buy a proper dress
3) a combo of 1 + 2 , meaning the girl could wear the same dress at any other party
I agree that the origin comes with a catholic background and all that, exactly as the brides: however, having lived in a “protestant” country for almost 8 years now (the UK, that is), I have made quite interesting observations about the protestants perception (or people coming from a country with a majority of protestants) of the catholic and viceversa:
-what, at least the English, think of the catholic, is SO similar to what the Uruguayan think of the protestants! My guess is that rather than a protestant/catholic divide it would be more perceptive to lo0k at the religious “majority/minority” divide: for example in a protestant country like England, those who remained Catholic even against prosecution (which evolved in the more or less subtle lack of social/political/financial progress) were the ones who were zealot enough to keep to their beliefs. Which in turn constitutes a more vocal or conservative attitude, that which you interpret reflected in the “white dress significance from a strong catholic background”.
In turn, in Catholic Europe and the countries they colonised, the reverse is true for protestants. It is the catholic who are laxed about their beliefs, and turn less conservative than the protestants. For example, as a Uruguayan, that conservative attitude you mention about the catholic, funnily enough, is my perception of an Evangelic wedding! (they don’t even have “quince” as it would be too “extravagant”!).
My niece, for example, wore green. There was no way she was going to look like a bride. (In fact anything to do with attracting attention to herself at her party, was something she would hate). And I can tell you something: if there was any real hint of, even a subliminal, a message to the guests on her virginity or lack thereof, there was absolutely no way that my brother would have had a party at all! (And incidentally, not out of being prudish, but out of being reserved, he would have hated a white dress too if he thought people would read anything into it).
By the way, I’m not a Christian, so not really deffending any position here.
Gabriel
Left by Gabriel on November 12th, 2007