One of the beliefs held by Venezuelans is that during Holy Week one cannot eat red meat. That is why during these dates it is a tradition to eat seafood products (such as fish, octopus, oysters, shrimp, scallops, scallops or pepitonas) and that there are fairs or sales of these products at popular prices.
I have already pointed out on several occasions that I live in a city in Venezuela, Cumaná, which is bordered by the Caribbean Sea, which means that we have seafood products all year round and with a freshness from the sea to the plate. Of course, there are obviously seasonal products, such as pepitonas, for example.
One of the typical Easter Week fairs is that of pepitonas, which are sold by the sack or can, raw or boiled, at popular prices. There are also fairs of empanadas, tuna and even a fair of cuajado (an omelet made with fish and other seafood).
My family and I went there on Friday. The music, the people in the street, the hustle and bustle, but also the sacks of pepitonas in front of the houses or the lit bonfires, were proof that when we arrived, the fair was in full swing.
The first thing we did was to look for a place where the smoke would not hit us so hard and the pepitonas were not so expensive (prices could vary from one awning to another). After ordering a can of pepitonas, which cost $10, we also ordered beers, which cost $0.80 each.
According to the Internet, pepitonas are mollusk-like shellfish with a soft yellowish body covered by a hard elongated shell. In Mexico it is known as coral clam and in the United States as turkey wing.
I remember when my grandmother lived, who was a Cumanagoto Indian, she used to tell us stories, part of the memory of her people, where they transmitted the beliefs that existed during Holy Week.
For example, no one could eat red meat, or use knives, or cut the bushes, or light candles, or sew, or shout, or go to the beach, nor could they have sex, and if they did, something bad could happen to them. Fortunately, many of these beliefs fell into disuse and today people just have fun and rest or go to the fair to eat pepitonas.
Images are from my personal gallery and the text was translated with Deepl
Thank you for reading and commenting. Until next time, friends
Go to the pepitona fair at Easter with the family😎🦪 | Ecency
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