ESTRELLA’S QUINCEAÑERA
The Quinceañera, the Coming of Age tradition that take place when a young
woman turns fifteen, is the subject of Estrella’s Quinceañera, a young
adult novel by Malín Alegria, (Simon & Schuster, $14.95)

Alegria will be in Las Cruces from Thursday, September 6 to Sunday,
September 10 visiting classes and doing creativity workshops. She will read
from her at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, September 9 at the Mesilla Community Center. Included in the evening is a panel on Quinceañeras and a fashion show. Admission is $5.

The Quinceaños, or la fiesta Quinceañera, is a rite of passage for
fifteen-year-old Latina girls. It is a community and family celebration full
of tradition and meaning when a young girl is symbolically escorted into
womanhood by her family and the event is witnessed by her community. The
word itself comes from the Spanish quince, "fifteen," and años, "years."
The origins of the Quinceañera are often attributed to the ancient customs
of the Aztecs, but the ceremony and meaning behind it are similar to other
ancient cultural initiation rites that occurred throughout the world. Fifteen was the age when many young women left their family home to become wives and then mothers, and almost as though passing through an invisible door, a Latina enters her Quinceañera as a child but emerges as a young woman with new responsibilities. Those who know and love her will see and treat her differently from that day forward.

For Latinas from Latin American and Puerto Rico, this is an old and revered
tradition. The celebration as we know it today in the United States became
popular in the 1930s and continues, even flourishing in communities where
custom and ritual rekindle ethnic and family ties. But Quinceañeras, like
mostly strongly held traditions, is not a static event, and the ways it is
celebrated are changing with the times. Now many girls have combined the
"American" concept of "sweet sixteen" with what would have been their
Quinceañera. A Barbie Quinceañera doll in some cases replaces the handmade ultima muneca, and families are beginning to celebrate the "coming of age" of their sons, too. These blendings of cultures can be found in many aspects of our traditional lives. Some have to do with the breakdown of traditional life, and some with a world of changing cultural mores. In whatever form it may take, a Quinceñera is a very special event happening only once in a girl’s life, so it is a time for rejoicing in the miracle of life and reaffirming one’s commitment to family, friends, tradition, and community.

In the Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central and South American traditions,
the custom can be referred to as a Quince (XV) Años, a Quinces, or a
Quinceanera. The celebration traditionally begins with a religious ceremony.
A reception is held in the home or a banquet hall. The festivities include
food and music, and in most, a choreographed waltz or dance performed by the Quinceanera and her court.

The Quinceanera's court can be comprised of young girls (called a Dama),
young men (called Chambelán or Escorte or Galán) or a combination of both- traditionally up to 14 persons in the court, which with the Quinceanera,
would total 15 young people.

The Quinceanera traditionally wears a ball gown, with her court usually
dressed in gowns and tuxedos. Guests usually receive small tokens, cápias
and cerámicas, to commemorate the celebration.

The vibrant and energetic young Chicana writer from the Bay Area, Alegría
has written a young adult novel that is highly recommended for high school
and mid school students. Adults as well will enjoy the humorous true to
life tale. The book celebrates culture and tradition and those who rock the
boat of life. Ultimately, it is about knowing who you are you and what
matters to you.

Alegria is an accomplished educator, dancer, and actress who lives in San
Francisco. She often reads from her book while wearing a quincenañeara
tiara.

For this special event, The Border Book Festival is planning a series of
Quincenañera "happenings" that will delight including a fashion show of new and used dresses as well as a Quinceañera “panel” who will talk about the tradition of Quinceañera’s, its cultural and symbolic aspects as well as the significance of Quinceañeras past and present. Recent and past
Quinceañera participants will also take part in the festivities. If you
would like to exhibit or model your Quinceañera outfit or participate in
the event, please contact the BBF at 505-523-3988 or bbf@zianet.com

About the book: "Estrella Alvarez is turning fifteen, and she's not happy
about it. For as long as she can remember, her mother has been planning an elaborate quinceañera, complete with a mariachi band, cheesy decorations an, and a hideous dress. Estrella is so over it. She's much rather have an understated dinner party at a posh restaurant downtown--that way, she can invite her two best friends from private school, who have no idea Estrella lives in the barrio. Even though Estrella tries to keep her home life a secret from her school friends, things get even more complicated when she falls for Speedy, a cholo, who her new friends --and her parents—would definitely disapprove of. Caught between her family's wishes and the allure of her sophisticated friends, Estrella is forced to make some tough choices. This funny, touching book follows one girl's struggle to find out who she really wants to be."

For more information on hosting Alegria in your school, or about the reading
Saturday night at 7pm, please contact the Border Book Festival/Cultural
Center de Mesilla at bbf@zianet.com 505-523-3988
http://borderbookfestival.org/