Shakira attends the Premiere of Walt Disney Animation Studios' 'Zootopia' at the El Capitan Theatre on Feb. 17, 2016 in Hollywood, Calif.
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In Barcelona, where Shakira and her family make their home, Christmas shoppers can now pick up a figurine of the Colombian superstar, holding a microphone and crouching, with her pants down, over a pile of… you get the picture. While this might seem like an insult, it is actually considered an honor, part of a Catalan holiday tradition that goes back centuries.
The figurines, called caganers, which can be translated politely as “poopers,” are found squatting in most nativity scenes. Traditional caganers depict a Catalan everyman in historical peasant garb, hidden somewhere behind the baby Jesus and other protagonists of the Christmas display. The crapping man originally symbolized fertilizing the Earth and bringing good luck for the coming year.
In modern times, the caganer became a form of political satire, and more recently, an extension of celebrity culture. Each year, new collectible pop culture caganers are created, made to resemble actors, sports figures, music artists, and anyone who has been in the news. This year’s novelties of course also include U.S. president-elect Donald Trump.
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Prince, Michael Jackson, Bono, Elton John and Madonna are among other music artist figures offered by caganer.com, a company that ships caganers internationally. The Shakira caganer, like others, is not exactly a flattering, or even very recognizable, likeness, but that is part of its kitsch appeal. “Shakira is still sexy even when caught in the unflattering position of pooper,” reads the description on caganer.com. “With her microphone in hand, she seems ready to get up and start singing “Waka Waka.”
The Shakira caganer will set you back 16 euros (about $17), plus postage. Shakira’s husband, Barcelona soccer star Gerard Piqué, has also been immortalized as a caganer.