Semana Santa (Holy Week)

Sunday 13th April
One of the great aspects of this life is experiencing the customs and celebrations of the different cultures we pass through.

There was obviously something brewing in Ayamonte, walking around the streets we felt a festive atmosphere amongst the locals. We saw some posters in shop windows and realised it was Semana Santa - the Spanish celebration of the week leading up to Easter.

Sunday morning we heard the drums of the band coming from the square next to the marina and heading out to see what we could see. We came across a crowd of people and a band following behind a huge float. Ducking around the back streets we managed to find a spot in front of the parade. The locals were out in their Sunday finest and we squeezed our way along the crowded, narrow streets.


The people in the parade belong to a hermandades - a religious brotherhood - who each have a distinctive dress or emblem. Parading in front were the nazarenos (religious brotherhoods) dressed in their pointy hatted outfits. Some carried long palm fronds as it was Palm Sunday.


The nazarenos


Here comes the float


Heading towards us

Continuing through the crowds we spotted the float turning a corner to the street we were on. The float was carried by men (costaleiros) and they moved very carefully around the narrow streets. They can't see where they are going as curtains hide them from view and it was impressive to see how they negociated the corners. The float was magnificent in its craftsmanship, Jesus on a donkey looked very lifelike and all around the outside the giltwork shone.


Some of the costaleiros wearing supportive back braces


All you can see of the costaleiros - their emaculately white shoes

We ended up on a corner right in front of the float and as it set off we had to shuffle backwards so we didn't get clobbered by it as it slowly, slowly turned the tight corner.


Precision float manoeuvring

The parade lasts for hours, the costaleiros taking regular rests along the way. When they walk along they follow a rhythm of movement - one step forward, then a sway from side to side, then continue forward. It must be exhausting work, especially as it was a warm day on Sunday, although I can imagine the family is honoured to have a member doing this job.


La Buena Morte band

Following the float is a band - this one was called La Buena Morte (the Beautiful Death). They played funeral marches which had a mariarchi sound to it at times. Despite the discordant music everyone seemed jolly rather than gloomy. After the parade the bars and restaurants were heaving as the locals set to enjoying lunch in the sunshine.

There was another parade in the evening and there is one every evening of Holy Week - on Good Friday they start at 2am and parade the floats and effegies around the streets until 10am - that's some dedication to carry those heavy floats for so many hours.