Once I verified that they did in fact prepare the stew, I did not curse them and rode off, leaving them in peace.
The roots of the holiday come from October being seen as a turning point from winter to summer. Remember that the seasons are reversed here, from an American perspective! As in many places, winter was often synonymous with poverty and scarcity. To combat the evil Spirit Karai Octubre from bringing misfortune, families make jopara, a stew made of beans, squash, locro( white corn), onions and tomato in large quantities. Even though many are struggling with scarcity at this point in the year, families nonetheless gather to show this evil spirit their strength and abundance to bring them good luck throughout the rest of the year. Paraguay is a country that values myths, so it makes total sense that they would celebrate a holiday centered around a mythical character like Karai Octubre. Many of the myths are used to scare children and to keep them in good behavior. Another mythical character, known as a pombero, is a dark, lurking creature that only comes out at night, much like a Paraguayan boogie man. Parents warn that it is dangerous to go out alone at night, because it is possible that a pombero could snatch their children.
