La Novia del Coco. That’s who burned Sunday in the South Valley. El Kookooee’s girlfriend is a world-eater, with the planet in one hand and a fork in the other. She was designed last year by 7th-grader Valerie Green, who was on hand yesterday to receive congratulations and watch a towering version of her model burn. It’s a South Valley tradition 20 years running. You have to keep your eyes peeled this time of year to find out about it. Unlike the commercialized Zozobra, the burning of el Kookooee (or his ladyfriend) is a comparatively small, free, neighborhood event. The premise is similar to Zozobra; people write down their fears and drop them in a bag, which is stuffed in the boogeyman and burned in effigy. I’ll be damned if it doesn’t work, too. See next year’s Kookooee (sometimes spelled Cucuy) at the bottom of this blog:
El Kookooee’s Girl
1 min read
Mariachis gather at her skirts
Marisa Demarco
She stands in dog shit.
Marisa Demarco
A message on her base: “Mr. Obama- Will you lock up those horrible war mongers, crooked politicians, bank execs, insurance frauds, and save the earth so I won’t have to be afraid anymore???”
Marisa Demarco
The bag for fears.
Marisa Demarco
Next year’s Kookooee, designed by Jayleen Aragon of Adobe Acres Elementary.
Kailynn Castillo, also from Adobe Acres, constructed this beast, which took second place.
Albert Arizendi of Harrison Middle School entered this Kiss-like rocker, and it took third place.
Andre Campos envisioned this boogeyman, which tied for third. He’s also from Adobe Acres Elementary.
