La Chispa - Issue 8

Issue 8

PERSPECTIVAS CULTURALES

Las Tradiciones y Costumbres del Mundo Hispano

Spain + Latin America

bienvenidos a la Chispa

La Chispa is a Spanish school magazine run by Year 10, 11, 12 and 13 students, aiming to broaden knowledge of the Hispanic World and explore current topics both past and present.

For our eighth edition, we have decided to look at the traditions and customs of the Hispanic world.

Festivals in the Hispanic world are rich in culture, often deeply rooted in religion, history and the natural world.

We hope you find our articles interesting and give you a better understanding of the origins, the evolution and how these festivals are celebrated today.

Introduction to Culture

Lucy Buyers page 6

History

Moros y Cristianos page 7

Grace Lockwood

Feria de Sevilla page 9

Isla Moral-Foster

San Fermín page 11

Chloe Petevinos

Carnaval de Tenerife page 14

Lizzie Spiri

Religion

Día de Muertos page 16

Sophia Adams

Día de los Inocentes page 18

Ana Ferdinands

La Mama Negra page 20

Ira Shetty

Camino de Santiago page 22

Angela Suarez

Natural World

Inti Raymi page 24

Maya Ghosh

Tomatina page 26

Ana Gokcek

Feria de las Flores page 28

Clara Grayson

Fallas page 30

Serene Soo

Introduction to Culture

Culture is difficult to define since it is an intangible mixture of beliefs, values, habits, customs, religion, knowledge, arts, languages: the list never ends Each person understands culture through an individualised, complex lens by linking it to their own experiences, both past and present

The word is derived from the past participle of the Latin verb ‘colere’ (cultum) meaning ‘nurture’, ‘tend to the earth’ or ‘worship’. Perhaps its variety of meanings encompasses its complexity; culture is not only linked to the active fostering of growth, which suggests it is constantly evolving, but it equally deserves reverence and is, hence, connected to religion and spirituality. Its etymology also reveals how intrinsic it is to our identity: it is a constant force that guides our lives and impacts our beliefs.

Julio Cortázar reinforced this idea, saying that “la cultura es el ejercicio profundo de la identidad” (culture is the profound exercise of identity) Culture makes us who we are: it is part of us

The cultural bedrock of mainland Spain can be identified through its Roman heritage, which was then enriched by the Phoenicians and Carthaginians in future years. These groups left legacies in the country, which are still identifiable today through the Spanish language, alongside its architecture and traditions. In 711, Islamic culture flourished in the country, ushering in new alchemical innovations, Aristotelian philosophy and even the concept of zero. The Muslims lived alongside the Christians and the Jews, and despite hostilities, their convivencia (coexistence) enriched the country both physically and ideologically.

The culture of Latin America is also the product of countless influences. Not only has Western Iberian culture left an impression due to a history of colonisation and continued immigration, but so have Pre-Colombian cultures, which are central to indigenous communities such as the Quechua, Maya and Aymara Moreover, African culture, introduced to Latin America through the trans-Atlantic slave trade, has influenced its customs and practices.

The articles in this edition of La Chispa strive to explore the vibrant culture of the Hispanic world by focussing on three pillars: religion, history and nature Although all pillars are integral to cultural identity when analysed individually, their power lies in their symbiotic relationship. Each pillar is dependent on the others, and it is their unification that generates such powerful expressions of culture which we celebrate through festivales and fiestas.

Although difficult to define, culture is a defining concept in our lives, and its pertinence and ubiquity is summarised in the following words of Milan Kundera:

“La cultura es la memoria del pueblo, la conciencia colectiva de la continuidad histórica, el modo de pensar y de vivir ” (Culture is the memory of the nation, the collective awareness of historical continuity, the way of thinking and living).

Moros y Cristianos

The festival of the Moors and Christians is mainly celebrated in the southern Valencian Community and Andalusia. It is celebrated in commemoration of the battles between the Moors and the Christians during 722 AD-1492 AD, the period known as the ‘Reconquista’ These battles began 11 years after the group of North African Muslims captured the Iberian Peninsula in 711 AD However, over time, the strength of the Muslim state diminished, creating inroads for the Christians who resented the Moorish rule. For centuries, Christian groups challenged Muslim territorial dominance and slowly expanded their territory This culminated in 1492, when Catholic monarchs Ferdinand II and Isabella I won the Granada Warand and completed Spain’s conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, ending the 800 year rule of the Moors in Spain These historical events have great importance to the region, with traditions going back as far as the 16th century!

When the festival was firstly celebrated during the 16th century it was mostly only in large cities There is some uncertainty as to whether the festival was celebrated annually, but it is thought to have been celebrated on two different occasions: the royal festivities (births, coronations and military victories) and religious occasions. These festivities were organised by the guilds, at least from the 16th century and were often considered religious. They became enormously popular in the 17th century in their most diverse variants (comedies, sacramental cars or representations of Moors and Christians), but always with the denomination of "festivities of Moors and Christians", to the extent that they were taken to America by the Spanish conquerors, since 1532 in which they are documented in Nombre de Dios ( Mexico) and are still celebrated.

Nowadays, the festival of 'Moros y Cristianos' is celebrated differently in each town that holds this festival and has its own distinct time of the year that it’s celebrated and their own variation of how things are done The main characteristics they all share is that they decorate their streets with beautiful lights and the patron saint of the town is honoured as part of the festival. Each group also has their own band that plays music as they march in the parades and when they reenact battles. Celebrations of the festival are closely approaching in Banyeres de Mariola, in Alicante during the 22nd-25th April and in Elda, Alicante 1st-5th June

These festivals feature colourful processions with lots of music, re-enactments of the battles and lots of outdoor events For example, in Elda, the festival begins with the first processions of the troupes known as comparsas (groups representing the Christians and Moors) in their colourful costumes The next day, the patron saint of the festivities is accompanied by all the troupes, and taken to the Santa Ana Shrine, with the sound of marching ringing out. The children's parade also takes place on this day The first re-enactment of the battle and attack on the castle is held on the 3rd morning. By the afternoon, it's time for the triumphant Christian Entrance. On the 4th day, all the troupes join for the pasacalles parade, and the offerings to the Saint and the mass for the festivities are held. That afternoon, the Moorish Entrance takes place. During the 5th and final day, one last re-enactment of the battle and attack on the castle takes place, followed by the procession which returns Saint Anthony to his shrine. This festival gathers many locals together in festive spirits and involves approximately 7,000 people to make up Elda's nine comparsas

feria de sevilla

'La Feria de Sevilla' which translates to the Seville Fair is a fair that occurs two weeks after Holy week (Semana Santa), or more commonly known as Easter. This year it starts the 23rd of April and ends the 29th of April However, the preparations, in spirit, begin right at the beginning of Semana Santa From then on, the next three weeks are filled with celebration. Now you maybe wondering, what does La Feria de Sevilla even entail? And what is its history? And how can I get involved?

'La feria de Sevilla' is a vibrant festival where SevillE is awake nearly the whole week! This festival contains many traditional dancing, music, food and drink. From around nine at night until six or seven the following morning there is buzzing life in the streets And if you’re not tired after all that dancing it can then be followed by the amusement park, which also is put in place for this special week. Each day the 'fiesta' begins with the parade of carriages and riders, at midday, carrying Seville's leading citizens which make their way to the bullring, ‘La Real Maestranza,’ where the bullfighters and breeders meet. The day is then finished with the women dressing up as sevillana’s (traditional dancers) and dancing in the streets and bringing the exciting, bubbling energy for the night ahead

There is something for all ages in this festival even in the amusement park there is variety, you can go to the stalls, the rides and the market! The Market is where people from all over Spain come to promote their business and sell their products- the idea of this links back to its history. Originally in 1846 the fair was organized as a livestock fair. This was for farmers to come to the fair and sell their animals and the produce of them to other farmers, local butchers, cheesemakers and other various local business owners It was set up by two councillors born in Northern Spain, Basque José María Ybarra and Catalan Narciso Bonaplata. However, the idea had to go through a process of approval first Once Queen Isabel II agreed to the proposal, the first fair was held in 1847 in April. This festival brings a light to the importance of trade and the history of Sevillian people and their ancestors, it expresses their way of living Without this festival a lot of important cultural history would be washed over and forgotten, this reminds all generations of the event and joins them all together to celebrate

Food is not the main part of this fair! However, a huge amount of food is eaten throughout the seven days. Many delicacies and well-known meals originate from this tradition Eating and drinking is at the heart of Seville’s festival. The festival officially kicks off when thousands of multi-coloured light bulbs flicker into life and illuminate the festival. This is known as the ´Alumbrado.’ Along with this on day one people have the “Pescaíto Dinner”prior to the ‘Alumbrado.’ If you are a seafood fan this mouthwatering meal includes fried prawns, baby squids, red mullets, clams and other delicious freshly caught seafood. During the rest of the week seafood is eaten throughout along with many other unique meals.

Here are a few:

Rabo de Toro (Bull Tail) - this links to Seville’s history of extravagant Bull fighting Solomillo al Whiskey- this is meat cut from a part of a pig between the lower ribs and spine served with a garlic and whiskey sauce.

Caldo de Puchero - this is a stew-like soup that was originally eaten as it was cheap and flavourful, now eaten as it is delicious and a tradition It would usually contain morcilla, chorizo, chicken and any other meats, depending on the family.

Tortilla de Patata - this is a omelet made of potatoes and onion, simple yet delicious.

This extraordinary festival explodes into life and radiates culture, attracting tourists and locals alike. Locals come together to celebrate with friends and family gathering in marquees known as “Casetas”. These traditional tents are owned by influential local families, associations or “Peñas”. (groups of friends) It’s a time for friends, families and tourists to gather and relish the wonders of Seville.

San fermín

'San Fermín' is a historically rooted Spanish festival held in honour of the catholic saint, Saint Fermín It is held in Pamplona in the Navarre region of Spain from the 6th to 14th of July each year. Whilst famous for the bull races and fights the festival also consists of religious ceremonies and processions as well as more modern celebrations such as the street parties. San Fermín is the most internationally renowned festival in Spain with over 1 million people coming to participate each year

Saint Fermín was born in Roman Pompeii in the 3rd century He was the main patron saint of the Kingdom of Navarre and of the Diocese of Pamplona because he was the first Bishop of Pamplona. The festival honours San Fermín who was beheaded in Amiens, France on a voyage preaching the gospel He died on the 25th of September 303 AD. Until the end of the 16th century, the people of Pamplona honoured San Fermín on the 10th of October but in 1590, the town councillors of Pamplona requested the bishop, Bernardo de Rojas, to move the celebration to July.

The reason why the celebration in Pamplona includes the running of the bulls is because of an incident attributed to Fermín that actually happened to his master Saint Saturninus (the first Bishop of Toulouse) Legend says Saturninus was arrested and condemned to the death penalty because of his Christian faith. He was tied to a bull by his feet and dragged to his death. Despite, the fact that it was not Fermín who died this way the people of Pamplona still celebrate Saint Fermin with the bullfights which records show happened as far back as 1385.

The festivities don’t only include the famous bull run but also many other events and activities such as processions, religious ceremonies, cultural food and parties

Chupinazo (or txupinazo) is the firework that is set off to signal the beginning of the festival at 12 00 noon on July 6th. This has officially marked the start of the festival since 1941

Riau-Riau was a mass procession held on July 6th from the City Hall to a nearby chapel. It was introduced in 1911 yet was removed in 1992 as political activists and protesting youths often blocked the way of the procession causing violence and disruption

There is however a procession on July 7th, where thousands walk through Pamplona accompanied by dancing and street entertainers as well as people of religious and political importance. A 15th century statue of Saint Fermin in taken on this parade whilst "gigantes" (enormous wood-framed and papiermâché puppet figures managed from inside) dance around watched by thousands. Mass is then held in the city cathedral in honour of San Fermin. The religious element of the festival is large due to the majority catholic population in Spain and the strong historical roots the city of Pamplona has with Christianity.

The festival is a huge celebration of not only religion but Spanish culture, music, food and tradition

During the running of the bulls (encierros), bulls are led through the streets of the old quarter as far as the bull ring by runners who race in front of charging bulls The tradition of bull running in the festival dates back to the 13th century. The idea of bull racing originated with cattle herders and butchers running in front of bulls in order to guide them from the barges they had arrived on to the enclosures where they would be held – this took place in the middle of the night. In Pamplona the bull run was the easiest way to transport bulls to the Plaza de Toros (bull fighting ring). Overtime the bull running became more than just what butchers/cattle herders did and became an integral part of the festival The exact timeframe of when local residents started racing in front of the bulls is unknown, but researchers believe it to be around the late 1700s The running of the bulls became a test of bravery and a spectacle attended by thousands of townsfolk before the bullfights began.

During 'San Fermin' people gather in red and white clothing to honour San Fermín (the saint) and race in front of the charging herd of bulls. Over the years the route has been modified to prevent any bulls from escaping. To try and make the bull runs as safe as possible there are strict rules including how participation is forbidden if the participant has drunk any alcohol and filming yourself during the run is not allowed.

The red and white clothing is a distinctive element of the festival with two different legends explaining the traditional clothing; one legend says it is to honour San Fermín as he was a saint so is associated with purity and white and he was beheaded so the red scarves around everyone’s necks represent his blood. The other explanation is that the runners dress like the butchers who began the tradition of bull running. A common misconception is that the red is worn to aggravate the bulls when in reality bulls are colour blind so can’t see red anyway. After the Encierros the bulls take part in bull fights with 6 symbolic bull fights happening each day in the Plaza del Toros

The festival is not without controversy With over 200 injuries from the Encierros each year and the occasional death, the festival is a dangerous tradition that encourages sometimes fatal activities. Since 1910, 16 people have been killed during the run. In addition to this after the run during the bull fights almost all the bulls are put death in what some may say is an outdated and unnecessary display of ‘bravery’. But how can it be called ‘bravery’ when the bulls - with taped horns - have no chance of winning against humans armed with weapons and even if the bull does win, he will be slaughtered by the other bull fighters The mother of the ‘victorious’ bull is also killed to cut off the bloodline and reduce the risk of other bulls from the same mother killing a matador too Therefore, due to the death of the bulls and high chances of injury the bull racing/fighting aspect of the festival is highly controversial.

Overtime the festival has moved away from its religious roots and more towards the spectacle and show of the events This is due to a worldwide decrease in the number of people who are strongly religious and because of the increasing opportunity for tourism that the festival provides The first presence of foreigners at the festival were chronicled in the 17th/18th century Earnest Hemingway’s book The Sun Also Rises (published 1926) romanticised the festival as well as the bull runs leading to an increasing number of visitors to the festival.

Despite the controversy surrounding the fiesta, 'San Fermín' is still celebrated with parties, parades, bull runs and other traditional events and customs each year Although 'San Fermín' has changed and grown through the centuries it was and continues to be a deeply traditional festival rooted in religion and history that is celebrated annually with over 1 million visitors each year

carnaval de tenerife

The Carnival of Santa Cruz of Tenerife is the second most celebrated carnival in the world, after Carnival in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. For 15 days, the streets of Tenerife come alive, with vibrancy, extravaganza and flare.

'Carnaval de Tenerife' was established in the 16th century, when settlers from Spain brought the custom over. It instantly became popular, with the wealthier classes celebrating in the streets However, it was not until the 19th century that this carnival began to evolve - when dance, costumes, and exhibitions were added. The growing popularity of masks meant that people of all classes could now mingle, without knowing who they were speaking to or being able to recognise people

Each year, the carnival has a different theme In 1989, the streets were dressed with sphinxes and pyramids for ‘Millennial Egypt’ and in 2004, Tenerife was reborn as the streets of Cuba, to represent the theme of the legendary Cuban singer ‘Celia Cruz’

In 1925, Tenerife's first carnival programme was introduced by Tenerife's City Council. It was responsible for organising the entire event. Many people regard this as the true birth of the carnival, as before this there was no official organisation, rather than locals simply coming together to dance and celebrate.

Under the nationalist dictatorship of Franco, the Spanish government attempted to extinguish the celebration of Carnival. However, locals of Tenerife continued to celebrate the carnival annually, under the name of ‘Winterfest’. In 1980, at the end of Franco’s regime, it returned to being called 'carnaval'

The carnival consists of a Queen of Carnival Pageant which is the most famous event from the festival and is broadcast globally Each year, one woman is selected to be the face of the carnival that year and receives a sceptre to mark her reign as queen. Each contesting woman wears a dress called a ‘fantasia’ (fantasy) which has been known to weigh up to 200 kilograms!

The same day of the Queen of Carnival Pageant, a huge parade takes place through the streets. Horses, floats, and batucada music flood the streets. The winner of the Queen of Carnival Pageant participates in the procession, and at the end the partying starts!

día de Muertos

'El Día de Muertos', also known as the Day of the Dead, is a Mexican holiday which honours dead loved ones, and celebrates making peace with the inescapability of death by treating it with familiarity, without apprehension or unease. Although it is still primarily marked in Mexico, many of this day’s festivities and traditions have spread through modern pop culture, especially in other areas of Latin America and in the USA.

'El Día de Muertos' was originally celebrated by the Aztecs, who would dedicate an entire month remembering the dead, and they believed that this holiday was presided over by the goddess Mictecacihuatl and her husband Mictlantecuhtli. Mictecacihuatl has been depicted in many forms, with some paintings including her having flayed skin and a gaping, skeletal jaw; she is known as the “lady of the dead” and was believed to rule over the underworld with her husband, as well as looking after the bones of the dead - the Aztecs thought these bones to be a life source in the next world. Mictlantecuhtli, although an important god who was honoured with human sacrifices, plays a lesser role in the Day of the Dead festivities

What role does Mictecacihuatl play in the Day of the Dead? The Aztec myth of Mictecacihuatl is that she was sacrificed as a baby, and magically grew to adulthood in the underworld, where she married her husband to rule over the dead Other myths say that she and her husband would collect the bones of the dead in a plea to be restored to the land of the living by the gods, which is why the Aztecs would often bury their dead with food and precious objects in order to appease these powerful gods. In this early, Aztecan version of today’s Day of the Dead celebrations, Mictecacihuatl would be recognised for 20 days during the ninth month of the Aztec calendar, which today approximately corresponds to late July and early August. Although archaeologists are not completely sure of the details of these early festivities, it is thought that they included the burning of incense, song and dance, and blood sacrifice, all of which were customary practices in Aztec rituals

However, this 20-day-long ritual was changed greatly when Mexico was colonised by Spain in 1521, as the Spanish were devout Catholic Christians who wanted to remove any lingering indigenous beliefs To do so, they would demolish religious temples, burn indigenous idols, and destroy Aztec books, but despite these efforts, many indigenous people refused to completely let go of their traditions, instead blending them with Catholic religious dates instead, and 'El Día de Muertos' is an example of this. The Catholic Church moved all indigenous rituals marking the dead to match those of the Catholic calendar, on November 1 and 2, which honoured All Saints Day and All Souls Day This meant that 'El Día de Muertos 'was essentially connected to Catholicism, although many of its practices and traditions were still deeply rooted in indigenous beliefs

Today, families across Mexico and the world follow a blend of indigenous and Catholic traditions for this two-day celebration. One key feature is the altar, shown in the picture, which helps guide the souls of dead loved ones back to the land of the living on the Noche de Muertos on the night of November 2nd. These altars, and the graves of the dead, are adorned in brightly coloured Mexican marigolds, which have indigenous roots Called cempasúchil by the Aztecs, the sweet smell of these flowers is said to awaken the spirits of the dead. Furthermore, many indigenous people across Mesoamerica often had shrines in their patios to perform household rituals, worship gods and commune with ancestors, and so this is another element of 'El Día de Muertos' from pre-Hispanic culture

día de los inocentes

'Día de los inocentes' is a religious celebration held on the 28th of December in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries This is a perfect time to have a holiday to stop the children from becoming bored in the period between Christmas and 'Día de los Reyes' (January 6th). The story of 'Día de los inocentes' originated from the Bible, where king Herod ordered all the young boys in Bethlehem to be killed so that Jesus could not become more powerful than him According to the passage, Herod gave this order when he found himself deceived by the Wise Men from the East who had promised to provide him with the exact place of Jesus' birth. However, angels came to Mary and Joseph to warn them, and they took Jesus to Egypt to protect him. The children who died during this massacre became known as ‘los santos inocentes’ (the holy innocents) and are traditionally regarded as the first Christian martyrs

The holiday is a bit like April Fools' Day which we celebrate in England and is celebrated mostly by children, who go around the neighbourhood playing pranks (inocentadas) and asking for sweets, singing Christmas songs and sometimes putting salt into food. Many people participate in parades or carnivals, wearing masks and colourful outfits, and some towns or cities hold markets where people can buy fake noses, wigs and of course tasty food!

These traditions have been around since 1584 since the reign of King Philip II and are widely celebrated in Spain and other Spanish speaking countries A flour battle takes place in Ibi, Valencia, and a “Crazy People’s Dance” in Jalance, Valencia In Setiles, Castilla La Mancha, a devil walks around the town and the children try to pull his tail Food is collected from townspeople, and used to prepare a big feast afterward for the town’s youth. In Trinidad and Tobago, children bring their toys to a mass to be blessed, though some priests have stopped the practice, as they felt it was distracting

In the Middle Ages, especially north of the Alps, the day was a festival of inversion involving role reversal between children and adults like teachers or priests, this was a Christianised version of the Roman annual feast of the Saturnalia In some regions, such as medieval England and France, it was said to be an unlucky day, when no new project should be started

There was a medieval custom of refraining from work on the day of the week on which the feast of Innocents Day had fallen for the whole of the following year until the next Innocents Day. Philippe de Commynes, the minister of King Louis XI of France tells in his memoirs how the King observed this custom.

Although the holiday originated over 400 years ago, it remains a widely celebrated festival in Spain and other Spanish speaking countries Despite its dark historic roots, 'Día de los inocentes' is a day of light, colour and celebration for everyone involved

La mama Negra

La Fiesta de La Mama Negra is a festival celebrated in Latacunga and characterised by a black woman. It is celebrated in central Ecuador during November and September and dates back to the 1700s. Most people believe that La Fiesta de La Mama Negra dates back to Spanish colonial times but its origin is often debated, causing multiple theories to arise.

One theory is that at the time, the Spanish Catholic residents would pray to the Virgin of Merced to protect them from the Cotopaxi volcano. Her saint’s day, 24th September, is close to Killa Raymi, when native Ecuadorians celebrate September Equinox. Due to this, it is likely that priests at the time tried to incorporate the native celebrations with the Catholic celebrations causing 'La Fiesta de La Mama Negra'

This theory however doesn’t address why the festival is characterised by a black woman. A second theory explains this as it suggests that the origins of 'La Fiesta de La Mama Negra' go back to the days of slavery when the Spanish marched enslaved black men and women from Latacunga to Sigchos to work in the mines. After Ecuador abolished slavery in 1852, an image of a freed black woman was used to symbolise the Virgin leading people to freedom

'La Fiesta de La Mama Negra' is celebrated twice in September and in November but the September celebration is hosted by indigenous Ecuadorians, whereas the November celebration is hosted by the elders of Latacunga.

The festival consists of a parade where its namesake character is dressed in elegant silk skirts and rides a horse whilst holding a small puppet and a vial of milk in each hand As she parades around the city, she blesses the crowd and smiles along the route which can take up to 4 hours. She also sprays milk and water on the spectators for their well-being and throws candy and wine into the crowd. During the festival, restaurants also serve a local delicacy called chugchucara which consists of deep-fried pork, empanadas, potatoes, fried plantain, corn, pork rinds and popcorn.

The person portraying "La Mama Negra" is never a woman and is never black as tradition holds that a highly regarded citizen will play the role This means that during the festival, many people will be in blackface to symbolise the slaves in the past. This tradition is controversial as many people are offended by blackface however, Ecuadorians as a whole don’t have any issues with it in context of the festival.

The parade also includes dozens of dance groups and musicians playing traditional Ecuadorian music on stringed instruments, wooden pipes and drums "La Mama Negra" is not the only character who parades through the streets but she is also followed by the "Angel de las Estrellas", "El Rey Moro" and "El Capitán." More recent additions to the parade include "Camisonas" who are colourful transvestites.

Camino de Santiago

The 'Camino de Santiago' also known as the Way of St James, is one of the oldest pilgrimage routes in Europe which leads to Santiago de Compostela, a city located in the northwest Spanish region of Galicia. Nowadays the 'Camino' is a bucket list destination for many people. But how did it become so popular and what do we know about its history?

The Camino de Santiago has existed for over 1000 years, and it dates back to the 9th Century when the remains of St James, one of the original twelve apostles, were first discovered in Northern Spain It is believed that St James helped spread the Gospel throughout the Iberian Peninsula and when he died, his disciples put his body in a boat, which landed on the coast of Spain His remains lay undiscovered until 813 when they were found by a Galician farmer Given the importance of the discovery, it is said that King Alfonso II ordered the relics to be buried in a specially built chape to attract pilgrims from all over the world

The 'Camino 'grew in popularity in the Middle Ages, with more than 250,000 pilgrims visiting every year, and it became one of the three most popular Christian pilgrimages together with Jerusalem and Rome The construction of Santiago’s cathedral began in 1078 and with it began a golden age for the pilgrimage to Santiago. Important infrastructure such as monasteries, pilgrim hospitals and bridges were built to protect pilgrims on their journey to Santiago. There are many theories as to how the route came to be. The leading belief is that it was by word of mouth, with pilgrims giving each other tips about the path, including which towns or villages to stop at, where to find water and the safest way to cross the mountains.

Over the centuries, the route across the countryside became clearer with each passing pilgrim. In 1140 the Codex Calixtinus, the first guidebook of the Camino de Santiago, was published. The pilgrims were moved by their faith, but there were other reasons why people made the journey to Santiago. Some pilgrims wanted to secure salvation as Pope Calixtus II had declared that all years when Saint James’ Day (July 25th) fell on a Sunday would be known as Holy Years

Its popularity only began to decrease during the 16th Century with the Protestant Reformation in Northern Europe Its popularity decreased further with European wars and revolutions in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, which restricted travel and cross-cultural integration Moreover, for most of the 20th Century the 'Camino de Santiago' remained restricted to the Iberian Peninsula due to the First and Second World Wars, as well as the Spanish Civil War (1936-39)

It was only in the 1980s that the process to widespread rediscovery of the 'Camino de Santiago' began thanks to the parish priest and academic Don Elías Valiña Sanpedro He marked the ancient route with yellow arrows so that pilgrims could easily find the way and promoted it throughout Europe to the effect that it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993. Nowadays, it is becoming increasingly popular and people from all over the world walk the 'Camino'. Despite the pandemic and many border closures, 178,912 pilgrims arrived in Santiago de Compostela in 2021. That is more than 3 times the number that arrived during 2020 (54,144) and almost half as many as 2019 (347,598).

Although it has traditionally been a religious pilgrimage, people of all ages and backgrounds now become pilgrims for many different reasons. Some take on the 'Camino' to experience the culture and history of the trails, while others take it on as a fitness challenge or for the mental benefits. Moreover, as in ancient times, there is no singular starting point for the 'Camino de Santiago' There are many different routes to Santiago (such as The French way or the Northern way) and in turn many starting points The route you take depends on your preference and interests and what you want to get out of the experience.

The trails are very well marked with scallop shells and Camino markings painted everywhere (trees, roads, walls ) All you must do is simply follow the yellow arrows and they will guide you to Santiago de Compostela. Anybody can walk the 'Camino de Santiago' as the only special thing you need is a Credential: a printed book or spreadsheet with pilgrim’s data (name, country, birth date, etc) and empty spaces for stamps In this book, you collect stamps and at the end of the Camino in Santiago de Compostela you get the “Compostela”: a certificate that is granted for completing the Camino The one thing to keep in mind is that, to receive it, you will need to walk at least the last 100km into Santiago de Compostela or cycle the last 200km.

Inti Raymi

Dating back to 1430 AD Inti Raymi is one of the oldest and most traditional festivals celebrated in Peru. The ‘fiesta de sol’ (festival of the sun) was established by the great emperor Inca Pachutec in the ancient Incan capital of Peru – Cusco. The traditional religious ceremony embodies all to do with nature and honours the most venerated deity in Incan religion the sun god Inti This being said the festival is therefore celebrated on the Winter solstice, in the Southern hemisphere this is the 24th of June. On this day the sun is furthest away from the earth creating the longest absence of sunlight between sunrise and sunset. This day marks the Incan New Year, symbolising the renewal of nature and a new cycle of life as those who celebrate look towards the future and pay homage to the sun god Inti.

In the times of the Incan Dynasty, Inti Raymi was the most important of four ceremonies celebrated in Haukaypata - Cusco’s main square Traditionally, the Inti Raymi was preceded by three days of purification and fasting to symbolise a prosperous new year During Inca times thousands of people gathered at Haukaypata before the night of celebration. With silence and great respect, they waited for the appearance of God Inti to ascend between the mountains and would give him thanks for the prosperous harvests of the year. Then, on the morning of the solstice, the people of Cusco would gather in the square, remove their shoes and face the rising sun As the sun rose higher in the sky, people would crouch down and blow kisses out of respect for the sun god Inti, before raising two golden cups filled to the brim with offerings The Inti Raymi is said to have lasted 9 days with the days following the new year full of colourful dances and processions, the celebrations culminated in the sacrifice of llamas, at the Coricancha temple. This was done as an offering to Pachamama, (Mother Earth) a revered goddess in Incan mythology, in order to ensure a good harvest the following year.

However, there was a brief moment in history that the Inti Raymi could have been lost in the past. In 1572, the Inti Raymi was prohibited by the Spanish viceroy Francisco de Toledo as he considered it a pagan ceremony and contrary to the Catholic faith. The Spanish colonizers wanted the Incas to adopt the Catholic faith and to forget about the customs and traditions of their own culture. Therefore, Incan festivals like the Inti Raymi could be lost forever. However, the subjects of the Inca continued to celebrate the festival clandestinely until 1944 when Peruvian author Faustino Espinoza Navarro could be credited for promoting the recovery of this traditional event and carried out its historical reconstruction. Since that date, the festival has become public again and attracts thousands of tourists every year.

Today the Inti Raymi sparks the revival of lost traditions as Peruvians give recognition to their ancestors and reflect on their heritage. As we have moved into the modern day, so has the Inti Raymi Nowadays, it is more than just a festival celebrated by the Incans it is a window in history that is now being shared with the rest of the world Currently, the Inti Raymi is a colourful theatrical performance with the aim of re-enacting the ancient ceremony of their predecessors Thousands of people from Cusco and from all over the world come together to one of the most important cultural and traditional events in this part of the world The 9 days of celebrations are still held in Haukaypata, at the heart of the Incan Empire these rituals are accompanied by dances, sounds of shells, and musical instruments and men and women paint their faces and wear traditional Incan garments Two actors dress up as the Sun God Inti and his wife and are carried by a golden chariot to the temple ruins of Sacsayhuaman Here a faux sacrifice of a llama takes place, and the faux heart is still held up to Pachamama to ensure a prosperous crop harvest for the year to come. The festival ends when the air fills with the sound of horns, drums, and other instrumental sounds. At sunset, a bonfire is lit, and the ceremony concludes with the procession returning to Cusco with the Sun King and his wife carried back upon their chariot.

The Inti Raymi still stands as one of the few festivals celebrated in Peru that hasn’t been influenced by the Christian faith Its traditional and ancient roots remain untouched as those who celebrate it hope that this ritual is able to live on In 2001, the Inti Raymi was declared Cultural Patrimony of the Nation ensuring its name will never fade into a forgotten part of history and it continues to mark its influence in our modern world.

Tomatina

There are numerous breath taking and exquisite festivals around the world, however there is something quite unforgettable about 'La Tomatina'. Many people nowadays are already attracted to the festival because of its vibrant colours and humorous atmosphere However, I think that once you hear about the origin of the festival, you will fall in love with 'La Tomatina' even more.

Although there are several stories relating to the origin of the remarkable fiesta, the primary one was said to have started as a group of adolescents attending a traditional parade known as “Giants & Big Heads”. It was said that, during the event, one of the participants’ headpieces fell off, causing the performer to become enraged and begin hitting everyone in his path

As a result of this, the group of adolescents decided to react to the performer’s attitude, causing the market stall of vegetables to fall victim to the furious crowd. This of course prompted the largest ever food fight seen (at the time) Luckily, all the hurling and flinging came to an end after the local forces ended the vegetable battle, possibly after an hour or two had passed.

Even though it may be difficult to believe at first, the accidental fight was repeated at the same time and place exactly one year later It has been known that the first repeat was indeed pre-prepared by a few locals willing to remember the thrill and adrenaline of the fight from the year before. And of course, the legendary and infamous tomato made its entrance once again on the same day of August in the year 1946.

The festival was once again permitted after enough locals and others protested in favour of La Tomatina in 1957 and, although the police broke up the early tradition in the following years, the young boys had made history without being conscious about it The tomato throwing continued for a few years until it was banned in the early 1950s, which was not a problem because the people voiced their opinions, and the festivity was again allowed with more participants and has since gained in popularity exponentially.

It is no wonder that since then the number of participants has increased year after year as well as the excitement In 2002, La Tomatina of Buñol was declared the Festivity of International Tourist Interest by the Secretary Department of Tourism due to its success.

The fiesta has gained so much popularity that tourists across the globe buy their tickets to the festival in advance There is now a limit on tickets that are released for this event and is set at a maximum of twenty-two thousand As for the tomatoes, approximately 120 metric tons of nearrotten tomatoes are used in the fight to prevent injuries and bruises. The tomatoes used in the modern day celebration are brought from the region of Extremadura, where they are found to be cheap and easily available

At this rate, La Tomatina will continue to stay as the battle where neighbours and tourists throw tomatoes at each other until the intense red color of the tomatoes invade all the streets of the centre of Buñol.

feria de las flores

Medellin’s annual 'Feria de Las Flores' or “Flower Festival” is one of Colombia’s most important regional festivals and has become firmly established as a traveller favourite in Colombia. The festival is a celebration of Medellin’s identity, as well as to show off the stunning flowers that are grown all around the city

The festival began when Arturo Uribe Arango, from Medellin’s Office for the Promotion of Tourism, invited 40 "silleteros" from Santa Elena (Antioquia) to decorate the festival’s first edition in 1957 "Silletas" are wooden pieces with handles that are filled with bounteous amounts of flowers and carried on people’s backs. A "silleta" can weigh up to 70kg, and there are more than 25 types of flowers used to make the silleta. Mainly, the flowers used in the silletas include lilies, carnations, sunflowers, chrysanthemums, roses and pinocchios.

The word "silletero" derives from "silla" (meaning “chair” in Spanish). The most iconic figure of this tradition is the legendary María La Larga, a "silletera" who carried children on her back. María and her novel way of transportation convinced many of the region’s farmers that "silletas "were the best way to carry flowers from the farm to the city. The name later stuck for flower vendors who carried their enormous bundles of flowers into Medellin on their backs Despite the visually pleasing function of today’s silletas, they were originally created for less jubilant reasons. Their origin goes as far back as to colonial times when they were used by slaves to carry wealthy men and women around the region’s mountains on their backs.

In the beginning of the XX Century, they were then repurposed, with the encouragement of María La Larga. Although "silletas" are no longer used for commerce, they represent the region’s tradition and the end of slavery

The festival initially took place during the month of May but was changed to August in 1958 by Arturo Uribe Arango to celebrate the independence of Antioquia Since then, other events have been added like the International Pageant of the Flowers, classic automobiles parade, and orchids exhibition among others

Since the very first 'Feria de las flores' in 1957, the "Desfile de Silleteros "has been the grand finale of the Flower Festival Initially, dozens of locals would participate. Over the years, the parade has grown to encompass more than 500 participants carrying floats through town The floats are built on circular wooden platforms up to six feet in diameter that weigh up to 150 pounds in total, including the wood and floral arrangements.

The silleteros’ moment in the spotlight is on the last day of the festival when they parade through Medellin. As an audience of thousands cheers them on, they perform the impressive feat of carrying heavy flower arrangements on their backs They wear traditional dress and compete for the chance to be crowned with the most beautiful flower arrangement. The men, women, and children proudly carry on their backs a depiction in flowers of their life histories, land, and culture.

There are many stories of the origin of ‘Las Fallas de Valencia’, but the most common version is that it is an old custom of carpenters. On the eve of the feast of their patron, San José, which is celebrated on March 19, they burned old junk at the doors of the workshops to celebrate the end of winter. Currently, the celebration consists of street parties, parades, fireworks and a great bonfire The main days of the festival are from 15 to 19 March

The Valencians that wear the traditional costumes are called falleras and falleros. The hand stitched dresses and tight hairstyles that feature prominently on Valencian women, are one of the most widely recognized features of Las Fallas de Valencia.

Beginning on March 1, crowds gather in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento to see the "Mascletà", a fireworks show that occurs daily at 2:00 p m from March 1–March 19 The displays are approximately eight minutes long, starting relatively slowly and ending with a ‘terremoto’, or an earthquake, of hundreds of cannons releasing fireworks simultaneously. As a daytime firework exhibition, Mascleta is more of an audio experience than a visual one, but at least one Mascleta every year features lots of colours.

Flowers offered to the Virgin Mary is a relatively new practice, established in 1945. A wooden scaffolding of the Virgen de Los Desemparados the Virgin Mary of the Helpless, the protector of Valencia is erected in the Plaza de La Virgen, beside the Valencia Cathedral. Each bunch of flowers offered by the falleras is strategically placed within the scaffolding, and the end of the offering, the Virgen’s dress is entirely made up of the white and red flowers. After the completion of the offering, the scaffolding, complete with the flower dress, is paraded through the city and returned to the Plaza da La Virgen, where she sits in front of the cathedral and the basilica as a guardian of the city

Commissioned annually by neighbourhood falla committees, the towering structures - called fallas, from which the festival takes its name take 12 months to design and build. Fallas are constructed out of wooden scaffolding and covered in a combination of cardboard, papier-mâché, and polystyrene foam. The foam is sanded down into shapes and characters and painted in vibrant colours. While every falla will burn on the final night of Las Fallas de Valencia, one smaller falla, called a ninot, from the winning falla collection is selected to be placed in the Fallas Museum. Winners are determined by a City Hall committee Fallas typically take on the shape of medieval or modern characters, usually to illustrate a political or satirical message. In recent years, fallas have featured prominent figures such as former President of the United States Barack Obama, former Catalonian President Carles Puigdemont, and contemporary popular culture figures like Lady Gaga and Shrek.

Thank you!

Thank you for all the hard work and commitment of everyone who has helped make this issue of La Chispa possible:

Angela Suarez (Writer, design, editor)

Sophie Albert ( Design, editor)

Sophia Adams (writer, editor)

Maya Ghosh (Writer, editor)

Grace Lockwood (Writer, editor)

Isla Moral-Foster (Writer, editor)

Chloe Petevinos (Writer, editor)

Lucy Buyers (Writer)

Ana Ferdinands (Writer)

Anna Gokcek (Writer)

Clara Grayson (Writer)

Ira Shetty (Writer)

Serene Soo (Writer)

Lizzie Spiri (Writer)

We wish Year 13 all the very best. We look forward to reading the next issue of "La Chispa" next term.

La Chispa Team

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