Catalonia - Art and Culture 2018

The drums beat to announce that the doors of the Averno are about to open. Yes, the gates of hell are in Barcelona, and although it sounds strange, the time when the devilish creatures who live there start climbing out is one of those most awaited by the people of Barcelona. The correfoc has begun. The Mercè, Barcelona’s local festival, is being celebrated. Devils dressed in hoods and showing their horns dance to the sound of per- cussion and release a rain of fire. Some specta- tors run to get out of the way, but others want to want to see this event up-close. Among the de- mons, large dragons and all kinds of hellish beasts, fire and sparks are tossed up over the crowd. Are they thrilled or petrified by the show? Not even they are sure how they feel. ancient fire Although it is inspired by dances from almost 10 centuries ago, the modern day correfoc started in Barcelona at the end of the 1970s. This tradi- tion was soon made popular and is now a wide- spread tradition in the country. In its present Sparks, fire, gunpowder... These are essential elements in Mediterranean festivals, always present in Catalonia’s celebrations. Celebrating fire

They were created to explain stories from the bible, but they stopped in villages and cities and have become increasingly popular. A country of giants The music starts in the square and suddenly, everyone is sitting on the ground. The giants are about to begin their dance. They have their own music and choreographies made espe- cially for them. She wears a crown and rich me- diaeval dress, and holds a bouquet of flowers. He wears a Roman helmet and carries a giant mace over his shoulder... A girl looks at them from ground where she is sitting and they seem as tall as a building, although in fact they are only a little over four metres high. These are the Giants of Olot. It is worth seeing them do the candle dance to the magic light of the candles held by everyone in the crowd in September, during the Tura Festival in Olot (Pirineus). These giants are a couple of the thousands that exist all around Catalonia. They appeared in Europe in the fifteenth century as part of religious the- atrical performances to explain the Bible to those unable to read. In Barcelona too, the city’s giants can be seen dancing, this time representing king Jau- me I, and queen Violant of Hungary. They per-

©jordi pareto

© GZ

form, it is much newer than other mediaeval fire festivals, such as the Patum de Berga (Pirineus), or pre-Christian winter traditions like the Fia- Faia (Pirineus), when bonfires and torches are lit. Sant Joan is another of the times of year when fire is in the spotlight. The country is lit up by a thousand and one bonfires. However, the most spectacular traditions take place in the Pyrenees. These are the falles , also declared In- tangible World Heritage by UNESCO. The festi- val begins when a trunk recently cut from a nearby mountain is set on fire in the middle of the night. Young people light long torches called falles , and start a frenetic zigzagging race down into the valley which is followed by excitement from the villages. When they arrive to the crowd’s applause, they use their torches to light the bon- fire in the square that will light the village peo- ple’s party throughout the night.

form their dances at celebrations such as Santa Eulàlia and particularly during the Mercè festi- val. During Barcelona’s local festival, they join forces with other giants from all around Catalonia in a celebration in which they dance and stroll through the streets of the city centre. The girls and boys watch them in awe, and try to find out, by looking under the giants’ skirts, whether there is a real person inside of them.

4.000 In Catalonia there are some

devil dancing the fire dance.

giants

The giants and their entourage. Gegants d’Olot.

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VILLAGES IN the Catalan Pyrenees celebrate the tradition of the falles

© Gemma miralda

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