What Christmas song is so popular this season that you just can’t escape its tunes? You guessed El Burrito Sabanero, didn’t you? And you’re not alone. As El Pais writes, “If there is a Christmas anthem capable of competing in popularity with All I Want For Christmas Is You itself, it is, without a doubt, Burrito Sabanero.”
The catchy Venezuelan carol, written by Hugo Blanco in 1972, has been a holiday anthem for decades. Its infectious “tuki tuki” lyrics, and simple story of a little donkey heading to Bethlehem, have made it a favorite around the holidays around the globe. And it’s still gaining momentum today, thanks to its viral resurgence on TikTok. In fact, El Burrito Sabanero has a new fanbase … in the LGBTQ community.
The Online Journey of El Burrito Sabanero
In the age of social media, no song is safe from reinvention, and El Burrito Sabanero is no exception. Around 2020, the hashtag #MiBurritoSabaneroChallenge began trending on TikTok, inspiring thousands of dance videos. It’s all thanks to one standout influencer, @denzelcrispy, who catapulted the song into the spotlight with his “choreographed” routines. Complete with colorful wigs and unicorn costumes, his viral videos transformed the traditional carol into a queer anthem. Millions of views later, his catchphrase “Tuki what?” and his energetic renditions of the song, have cemented its place as an inclusive, feel-good, social-media-friendly Christmas staple.
“… this influencer with a comedic side and based in Los Angeles, has become the best ambassador of the Christmas carol as a queer song , establishing himself, like Mariah, as a reference that returns every Christmas,” El Pais explains. “… this TikToker, who dances, gives basic Spanish lessons or transforms into Tina Turner herself, accumulates millions of views on each of his ‘sabanera versions’ and a common feeling in the comments that accompany them: there is no Christmas carol that is more good-natured, inclusive (at least in the way he interprets it) and catchy.”
This year, on his Instagram page, Denzel Crispy’s Burrito Sabanero reel already has over 3.8 million views. In the caption, he asks his followers in Spanish and in English: “Qué sería de las fiestas sin un buen Tuki Tuki? ¿Lo has probado??”
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A Queer Icon for the Holidays
What might surprise some is the song’s newfound status as an LGBTQ icon. TikTok videos and memes have humorously suggested that the “donkey from the savannah” could be bisexual or queer, sparking a playful reinterpretation of the classic tune.
Beyond TikTok, the song’s cultural impact has spilled into print media and satire. In the satirical comic El Niño Jesús No Odio a Los Mariquitas, the donkey is cheekily linked to bisexuality.
Social media posts and Reddit threads echo this sentiment, turning the little donkey into a symbol of pride and inclusivity. As one Reddit user, who identifies as “bi,” put it: “I’m a proud burrito sabanero.”
There’s even a hashtag, created around 2020, #miburritosabanerochallenge, creating thousands of social media dance videos.
El Burrito Sabanero Is More Relevant Than Ever
So, why does El Burrito Sabanero keep trotting along when other Christmas songs get left in the dust? Quite simply, this donkey has proven it has range. Over the years, it’s been remixed into reggaeton bangers, turned into a dance challenge, and – as we just pointed out – embraced as a symbol of inclusivity. So don’t be surprised when you hear the familiar “tuki tuki tuki tuki” at your next holiday party. Feel free to yell “Tuki what?” Everyone will know what you mean.
