Exploring the History of Dia de San Juan's Water-Throwing Ritual

smiling woman throwing water from a bottle, with people behind her out of focus

In the radiant heat of Latin America, under a brilliant blue sky, Dia de San Juan, or Saint John's Day, was once celebrated with an enigmatic ritual – a day of water, a celebration of life, a rite marking the start of the summer season or the onset of monsoon season.


Every year on June 24, Latin American countries and communities would revel in the festivities of Dia de San Juan, commemorating the nativity of Saint John the Baptist. It's an ancient tradition inherited from Spain but thoroughly transformed and adapted. Among these traditions, the most famous and high-spirited was the act of water-throwing.

A woman throwing water at another women as people laugh in the backgroundSource: El Diario de Xalapa

Children would fill their buckets, adults their pans, and some would dive into rivers, all to fetch the most precious element - water. Cities would erupt into laughter and squeals as everyone drenched each other in celebration. This ritual, infused with symbolism, represented the purification of the soul, cleansing, and renewal.

The festival was a visual spectacle, an emotional catharsis, and a communal bonding moment that brought communities together. It was not merely a celebration; it was a form of cultural expression.

As the 21st century progressed, this tradition began to evolve. Technological advancements and increasing urbanization made the ritual less about river water and more about man-made water balloons, squirt guns, and inflatable pools. While the form changed, the festival's spirit stayed the same, as the essence of Dia de San Juan was not the water itself but the joy, the unity, and the sense of belonging it brought.

a boy with a blue inflatable tube swimming in pool Photo by Alexandr Podvalny on Unsplash

However, over time, the undercurrent of an imminent water crisis started to tinge the festivities with a shade of concern. The splashes that once symbolized abundance and life began to feel wasteful, even harmful. A paradox emerged: water, the giver of life, was becoming scarce, yet the ritualistic celebration of its abundance continued.

This incongruity couldn't last. As the water scarcity worsened, the water fights started to dwindle, replaced by an increasing sense of anxiety about the precious resource. The uncontrolled joy of the water-soaked celebrations began to dry up, even as the region's reservoirs did the same. The once-lively event was gradually toned down, then modified, and finally, ceased.

In the face of the escalating water shortage, communities started reconsidering their traditions. The celebrations evolved once again, this time with a focus on water conservation. Ritual baths were replaced by symbolic sprinkles and massive water fights with educational workshops about water conservation. Street carnivals and fiestas adapted to forgo water fights, and in certain cities, fines were even imposed on individuals caught wasting this invaluable resource.

Water, still central to the festivities, became a subject of reverence, a reminder of its fragility and the need to conserve it.

a man throwing water at the camera Photo by Dev Asangbam on Unsplash

The ending of the water-throwing tradition on Dia de San Juan paints a vivid picture of how environmental realities can impact cultural practices. It's a tale of adaptation, resilience, and the shifting dynamics between tradition and sustainability. While the lack of water fights is undoubtedly a loss for the cultural tapestry of Latino communities, it’s also an affirmation of the region's adaptability and commitment to environmental conservation.

Even as the water shortage continues to pose an existential threat to the region, the spirit of Dia de San Juan endures. But now, the day serves as a reminder of the vital role water plays in our lives and the urgency to protect it. It's a testament to the fluid nature of culture, constantly evolving, always flowing, much like the water that once drenched the joyful participants of Dia de San Juan.

a woman giving the side eye to a man

Have you ever met someone who seems overly confident, self-centered, or even downright rude? Maybe they constantly talk about themselves, disregard your feelings, or even manipulate situations to their advantage. And, if you're anything like us and countless other Latinas, you might've thought, is this person just a purebred a**hole, or are they a narcissist?

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woman surrounded by colorful illustrations
Image by Sayuri Jimenez.

Nathalie Molina Niño has never been one to shy away from breaking barriers, and now, she’s focusing her attention on a new mission: demystifying corporate boardrooms for women, especially Latinas. Molina Niño is the President of Known, an asset management and financial services firm, a veteran tech entrepreneur and builder capitalist, and a board member at the iconic lingerie Brand, Hanky Panky, and others.

Like many corporate boards, Hanky Panky hadn’t publicly disclosed its board composition until recently. After the brand survived the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Molina Niño decided it was time for more women, specifically more Latinas, to know what it means to be on corporate boards.

Coincidentally, the decision to finally be more vocal about this topic aligned with the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, which served as the perfect kick-off to the work.

"Something that rarely gets talked about and I think almost gets kept opaque by design is boards,” she explains in a recent Instagram announcement. “[This Latinx Heritage Month], that’s what I’ll be talking about.” Her goal? To equip more Latinas with the knowledge they need to navigate onto for-profit boards, where they can thrive and build multi-generational wealth.

For-profit corporate boards often feel like an exclusive club. And in many ways, they are, especially for Latinas, who hold the smallest percentage of board seats in Fortune 500 companies compared to other racial groups. According to the latest report from Latino Board Monitor, while Latinos hold 4.1% of these board seats (compared to 82.5% held by white people), only 1% go to Latinas. Molina Niño, a first-generation American of Ecuadorian and Colombian descent, is part of this boardroom minority.

When asked about her experience as a Latina board member during a recent Zoom interview, she said, “It’s been lonely. There’s not a lot of Latinas on boards.” She went on to explain that even serving on boards of Latina-founded businesses gets lonely because, “A lot of the times, people who serve on their boards represent their investors and, as a result, [...] you still don’t see a lot of Latinas on those boards.”

This lack of representation drives Molina Niño’s determination to increase Latina presence in corporate boardrooms. By sharing her insights, she hopes to give Latinas a roadmap to claim their seats at the table. “If you don’t know where to go, it’s impossible to figure out how to get there,” she says.

The Road to the Boardroom

Getting onto a for-profit corporate board isn’t an overnight achievement, but it’s not an unattainable dream either. People often think you need to be a CEO or have a certain type of background, but that’s one of the biggest myths about boards in Molina Niño’s experience. What they’re really looking for is expertise — whether that’s in finance, marketing, sustainability, or even technology. If you have that expertise, you’re already an asset. It’s simply a matter of which road you should take.

Understanding what boards are and how they operate is key to unlocking opportunities. For-profit boards serve as the governing body for companies, overseeing direction and financial stability, and guiding CEOs and executives in decision-making. But Molina Niño emphasizes that not all for-profit boards are created equal.

“There are two kinds [of for-profit boards] [...]. There’s the publicly traded business board and then, on the privately held side, there are, I would argue, two types of boards [...] the traditional business board and the venture-backed business board,” explains Molina Niño. Traditional businesses are often family-owned or long-established and may only form boards to meet requirements, like securing financing or transitioning through an ESOP. Venture-backed boards, on the other hand, are typically filled by investors who hold major stakes in the company.

According to Molina Niño, understanding the difference between them is how you can create a successful strategy. With publicly traded business boards, the whole world is privy to them, so, “The way that you get in there is a little bit more transparent. Sometimes those publicly traded companies will hire a recruiter to help them find new board members,” explains Molina Niño. For private companies, on the other hand, there’s no legal requirement to make announcements. As a result, most people don’t know anything about them or their inner workings.

“Usually what happens in traditional businesses that don’t have venture-capital investments is that the Founders, Executives, or the board members, if one existed already, they usually go to their friends,” and people they deem experienced to fill board seats. In other words, it’s the founder’s decision, and that’s an entirely different approach than hiring recruiters. When it comes to venture-backed business boards, the seats on the board are filled by whichever investor writes the biggest check.

This is why an understanding of the different types of boards and acknowledgment of their own strengths is what will help Latinas define a sound strategy. Whether that’s working with a recruiter, networking and connecting with founders to build trust, or making the biggest investment.

The Path for Latinas

For Molina Niño, the key to getting more Latinas into corporate boardrooms is education. Knowing what a board looks like and how it functions is how you can position yourself to get on it. In openly talking about this, without the mystique it’s usually shrouded in, Molina Niño is providing women, especially Latinas, with invaluable insights. “If we had Latinas understanding what are the three types of for-profit boards I think that, on their own, they would be able to figure out what their best chance is and adjust their careers to make themselves more competitive,” states Molina Niño.

When asked about the impact of increased Latina representation in boardrooms, Molina Niño flips the narrative. “Boards don’t help Latinas by offering them seats; Latinas help businesses thrive by being on their boards,” she says. “The whole point of sitting on a board is that you have experience and expertise, and as Latinas, you also have some cultural experience that everyone wants. [...] At the end of the day, we [Latinas] have to realize that we have a ton to offer and we have to be selective about where we put that expertise,” she explains.

As demand for access to the Latina consumer rises, Molina Niño predicts that more Latinas will find themselves recruited into boardrooms. But she’s not content to sit back and wait for that moment. By openly sharing her journey and insights, she’s making sure other Latinas know their worth and have the tools to claim their place at the table. “I realized that quietly being on boards that helped me personally is not helping other Latinas. [...] I was lucky enough to have friends who could advise me and share their experiences, so that’s why I’m doing this,” she stated.

With Hispanic Heritage Month as the backdrop, Nathalie Molina Niño’s mission is clear: “My goal is just to give Latinas enough information so they can make a plan for how to eventually get on a board that they’re paid to be on and that will eventually help them build generational wealth.”

flags of latin american countries fly behind performers wearing culturally traditional clothing

Ever noticed how September in Latin America is just one big celebration? As we wave goodbye to summer and avoid winter as long as we can, the streets come alive with parades, music, and festivities. Many Latin American countries celebrate their freedom this month, commemorating their hard-fought battles for independence from colonial domination. Let’s dive into these significant days and understand what makes each unique.

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