Verdiales Festival
Discover the main characteristics of this exceptional cultural manifestation, with possible origins in the Roman Saturnalia festivals
A group dances during the Verdiales Festival (2010) by J. M. BlancoOriginal Source: Archive of the Andalusian Flamenco Institute
The Verdiales Festival is celebrated in the Spanish city of Málaga and several municipalities in the province. It is one of the oldest festive rituals in Andalusia and is protected as an Asset of Cultural Interest by this Spanish autonomous community.
The music of the Verdiales Festival (2010) by J. M. BlancoOriginal Source: Archive of the Andalusian Flamenco Institute
This musical and dance expression, whose origins could date back to the festive rites of the Roman Saturnalia, is one of the most unique and deeply rooted cultural phenomena in its territory, especially in the regions of Los Montes and La Axarquía.
Of agrarian roots, it emerged in small population centers in the Málaga Mountains and, throughout its historical development, underwent a mélange that connects with flamenco, resulting in three modalities associated with their originating territory: the Montes, Almogía, and Comares styles.
The music of the Verdiales Festival (2010) by J. M. BlancoOriginal Source: Archive of the Andalusian Flamenco Institute
The Verdiales Festival is based on a type of 'abandolao' fandango characterized by partner dancing and the music of violin, guitar, castanets, and tambourine.
It is traditionally celebrated during the winter solstice, from December 25th to 28th, culminating on Holy Innocents' Day with the 'clash' of pandas de fiesteros (groups of revelers), who compete with their singing and dancing.
A symbolic Verdiales hat or "hat of liberty" stands out in their attire, with its 24 colorful ribbons, a legacy of the ancient Saturnalia. It is a straw hat covered with wire and lined with fabric, adorned with sewn-on flowers and ribbons.
In addition to the hat, characteristic elements include the staff of command, carried by the alcalde (the accepted authority and leader of the group), and the flag, carried by each panda's standard-bearer.
The standard-bearer is credited with the flag dance, which is exclusively male. He takes the flag by the pole and frenetically crosses it around himself, switching hands without losing rhythm. It is a challenging dance in which the panda defends its territorial identity against another.
The staff of command is a bull's tail or flexible branch covered with ribbons and adorned at the tip with small hanging colorful ribbons. It is used to direct the festival, signaling the entrance of the violin, the singer, the dance, and pauses.
The Verdiales Festival is part of the living and dynamic intangible heritage of Málaga and, therefore, of Andalusia, where the pandas are the protagonists, carriers of oral tradition and performers of the strength struggles or "Fiesta struggles," relays, games, and raffles.
From the 1960s onwards, as a result of rural exodus, the celebration gradually shifted to the periphery of the capital of Málaga. For older generations who emigrated from the villages, it is a way to maintain ties with their origins.
The widespread dissemination of the Verdiales has led to a growing identification of Málaga society with this festival and the emergence of new contexts and times for celebration...
The music of the Verdiales Festival (2010) by J. M. BlancoOriginal Source: Archive of the Andalusian Flamenco Institute
...among them, the streets of the city center during the summer fair or festivals and competitions. Notable among these are those of the Hermitage of Las Cruces and Villanueva de la Concepción, declared Festivals of Tourist Interest in Andalusia.
Young people participating in the Verdiales Festival (2010) by J. M. BlancoOriginal Source: Archive of the Andalusian Flamenco Institute
The activity, with its marked historical character and great ethnographic richness, has managed to survive over time thanks to the spirit with which the male and female fiesteros have transmitted their cultural memory from generation to generation.
Photos: J.M. Blanco. From the collection of the Andalusian Institute of Flamenco.
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