| We could hardly contain our excitement when we found this fabulous fabric depicting 24 of the 54 La Loteria cards. Many Americans assume these folk art style cards depicting instantly recognizable characters such as El Diablo or El Diablito (the Devil) and El Muerte (Death) are fortune telling cards, like a Mexican tarot deck. If you want to keep the mystery going, don’t spoil it by revealing that they are actually Mexican Bingo cards!
NEW LONGER SHIRT – we’ve added a few inches for a longer length. Features real wood buttons and is made in the USA.
MORE ABOUT LA LOTERIA
La loteria is an old game of chance played throughout Mexico originating back in the eighteenth century. It is in fact, Bingo – but played with symbols rather than numbers. As in Bingo, players receive cards with 16 symbols on it, while a caller pulls out cards from 54 different symbols. As the cards are being called out, the first person to get four pictures in a row, either vertically, horizontally or diagonally sings out ˇLOTERIA, LOTERIA!
La loteria is still played at festivals and carnivals, still using the original 54 symbols drawn in that folkish style that makes many Americans think that they are fortune telling cards. But don’t let “bingo” deflate the mystery these cards inspire – in some areas, like Oaxaca, poetic verses are shouted out, for example:
the devil
"I'm the devil and I've arrived
although you can't see me;
I haven't come to borrow,
not even to eat."
and the dandy:
"Don Ferruco is a dandy,
who wears an overcoat.
and as he turned the corner
he fell with his face into the mud."
Make up your own odd, suggestively illuminating brain teaser of a phrase when someone stops you in your La Loteria shirt and inquires about the meaning of particular card.
Some callers make it a riddle, so you must guess the card being called. Here are the ones we wrote -
El Nopal, the Cactus:
Many flock under my protection at noon
but cling to me too close and you'll not leave my side.
La Sirena, the Mermaid or Siren:
With her you can sing, but not dance
lest you lose your life.
La Corona, the Crown
For some men I mark their greatness
and lesser men their downfall.
While others call out merely odd little poems. Here are ones we wrote-
The Watermelon:
Eat a watermelon seed and find
A tiny would-be paradise
Poking your insides
And about La Arana, the Spider:
La Arana has been busy
weaving a new dress
Try it on and he will hem it for you.
And La Rosa, the Rose:
La Rosa blushes when Bee comes by
tossing petals to catch his attention.
Made in the USA.
Additional keywords: Bingo, Loteria, Tarot, Day of the Dead, Fortune Telling |
