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The Spanish, from early childhood, become life members of
the L.F.L.A. (Lust for Life Association). They passionately
embrace its' ideals and beliefs and practice them religiously.
The members meet frequently at home, on streets, in bars or
restaurants. The code word for a meeting is 'fiesta' and their
motto is:
'Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero'
-seize today, as you have no assurances of the future.
Spain is renowned for its celebrations and fiestas. There
are at least fourteen official fiestas nacionales (public
holidays) a year. In fact most of the public holidays are
religious holidays full of traditional ritual religion and
the symbols and icons of the church. The Spanish embrace this
mysticism but the fiestas are also celebrated with a zest
for life, passionately, colourfully, and at times with a frenzy
and hedonism.
One of the most religious and popular holidays is Semana
Santa (Holy Week). The celebrations, which mark the passion
of Christ, consist of multiple processions over eight days,
from Palm Sunday until Easter Sunday.
Unfortunately, in Salamanca and many other parts of Spain
during Semana Santa this year the weather was atrocious and
many processions had to be cancelled. Halfway through one
procession in Salamanca dark clouds appeared and it began
to pour. Everyone ran for cover. At the front of the procession
Jesus who was bare footed, shackled, wearing a flimsy robe
and dragging a heavy cross, stopped and looked heavenward.
He then lay down his cross, undid his chains and then he too
bolted into a local tapas bar to await the dissipation of
the ungodly weather.
On Holy Thursday, I went with five friends to Zamora a town
forty kilometers from Salamanca to see the processions. The
processions are described as being 'of international tourist
interest'.
The plaza mayor in Zamora was packed. As midnight struck we
heard a slow rhythmic boom of drums, echoing in the distance,
broken intermittently by a short pulse of high-pitched trumpet
notes. On tiptoes between the heads of the crowd I caught
glimpses of golden banners. Then, the strange sight of rows
of men in long dark robes and klu-klux-klan-like hoods (the
penitents). And behind life-size wooden statues of the Virgin
and Jesus floating shoulder-high and swaying, right then left,
with each boom of the drums. The air was heavy with incense.
In the midst of this I heard whispering and then a thud. My
friend had fainted. We had gone from watching the spectacle
to being part of it. The crowd opened into a wide circle and
started to whisper, flashing lights announced the arrival
of two zealous ambulance men and meanwhile the smell of incense
and the rhythmic boom of the drums continued. A few minutes
later to the chagrin of the crowd and (I think) disappointment
of the ambulance men my friend arose like Lazarus.
Later we wandered through the narrow streets. The streets
and bars were jam-packed with revelers drinking from plastic
cups and dark-robed men in sandals clutching masks in one
hand and crosses in the other. The sinners and penitents celebrating
together. Evil and good - it was surreal. All were awaiting
the next procession at 5am - aptly named la procesión
de los borrachos (the procession of the drunks).
Even in Spain the celebrations must end and so it is with
Semana Santa. However in Salamanca the L.F.L.A. has the last
word. A week after Easter there is another fiesta -
El lunes de agua - watery Monday. It traditionally celebrates
the end of Easter and the end to the abstinences of Easter
- meat, alcohol and sex. Therefore it is customary on El lunes
de agua to eat hornazo - a thick, crusty pie of four of five
different cuts of meat, alcohol is drunk and traditionally
the loose women of the city are welcomed back from the other
side of the river where they were expelled to during Easter.
The celebrations continue throughout the day and night.
Sara Woods studies at don Quijote in Salamanca.
For more information about don Quijote, visit Don
Quijote
Text © Sara Woods, all rights reserved
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Travel Writers: Diary of a Spanish Journey, part 3 by
Sara Woods
