The festival of Sant’Antonio

January 17, 2015 10:15 AM

Mamuthones move slowly, with heavy steps, as if they were chained. Their backs are curved under the weight of the bells, under the coarse vests, under the grimacing masks. Rhythmically, they shake their right shoulder, the left foot advances, bells clang in unison. Issohadores move with agile, deft steps, surrounding the darker figures as if they were hoarding them, guiding them, then confronting them.
posted by bq (3 comments total)

This happens all over Europe, I think. This video with Spanish narration is about the carnival festivities in Bielsa, a small village in the Aragonese Pyrenees, for example. These goat-headed characters carrying esquillas (bells) are called trangas.

I'm not an anthropologist or anything but I'd think that they all derive from the Roman Lupercalia or are related in some way or other.

What we celebrate country-wide for San Antón is the blessing of the beasts, be it cattle in the countryside or pets in the cities.
posted by sukeban at 10:30 AM on January 17, 2015

(And this is a bear festival in Zubieta, the Basque Country. The guys with the bells are called Joaldunak)
posted by sukeban at 10:35 AM on January 17, 2015

Wow! I would give my eyeteeth to see these pageants. Not sure about all the symbolism involved in all of this, but it's fascinating to watch. This link suggests the bear festival dancers eat chicken feet broth (blarg) but looks to me in the video they were collecting eggs and cheese for breakfast?

The feast of St Anthony as celebrated in the village of San Bartolome de los Pinares with the fire horse jumping would be incredible to watch. I've been to St. Anthony's blessing of the beasts done at the Catholic church (in the parking lot) Helped haul a friend's horses downtown. No fire was involved, however.
posted by BlueHorse at 12:30 PM on January 17, 2015 [1 favorite]