Empty Hands
Chiapas Indians
Mexico

The primitive hut covered with banana leaves is the scene of a potentially violent drama. The quarreling factions can be distinguished by their dress code, and even better by their hands. Those in rich garb have empty hands, some of the others, muffled in red and black with balaclavas partially covering their faces, carry guns. Jesus and his parents are among the latter – they are the good guys. The bad guys are roaming around the hut with evil eyes. In vain they disguise themselves as the three wise and generous magi. They are wolves in sheepskin, hypocrites and usurpers. They are also charlatans: the clump of gold in their hands is fake. Such at least is the perception of the good guys, the downtrodden and poor. They carry backpacks and guns – symbols of revolt and despair. This nativity set has roots in contemporary history. It comes from Chiapas, a southern region of Mexico, and makes allusion to the Zapatista insurrection of recent years. Should Christmas be politicized? If Christmas means universal healing in mind and body, then the righting of wrong is necessarily part of the program of redemption. But Christmas is also a lesson about method. In the end, it is the babe in the manger and the man on the cross who brings about salvation. And so there are two kinds of empty hands. Empty hands that taunt hardship and misery, those of the roaming "magi"; but also those that drop the guns and take off their balaclavas.