Holy Week tradition is kept in Tesorillo

JIMENA / San Martín del Tesorillo It is a tradition (not only in Tesorillo) that on the third day of Easter Week, the figure of Christ of the Holy Death (i.e. Christ on His cross) is carried through the village by members of the Parish Association to visit the homes of the disabled or impaired, where a Station of the Cross is prayed in commemoration of the Via Crucis Jesus did 2,000 years ago. The ceremonies this year were presided by the Parish Priest, Rev. Father Antonio Jesús Nuño López. (Photographs left and below, by Martín Blanco via TioJimeno) >>>

Friday market is on today

Setting up this morning

As we warned you last week, the local market that is usually held on Fridays, is on today because tomorrow is a national holiday: Reyes. So, come on down! (And don't forget that later, starting at 11, is the arrastre de latas ('drag the can') event for kids, starting from the Llano de la Victoria and ending at the main square, El Paseo.

Tomorrow: 'dragging the cans'

(Image: TioJimeno)

One of the traditions in Jimena (and other places) is the arrastre de latas, which translates approximately to 'dragging the cans'. The idea is to make sure The Three Kings (Reyes) become aware that in this little village there are a whole lot of children waiting for presents from them. This year's is the eighth edition of a continuous event that in fact was commonplace many years ago here and elsewhere. If you take your child (they're usually over it by age ten) be sure to tie some tin cans on a long piece of string or they will feel left out. Here are some samples of the kind of thing we mean, from a slide show from 2009 - it's fun and very noisy! Oh, and it all starts at 11am from Llano de la Victoria and 'parades' down to the main square, El Paseo. See you there!

Are you wearing red knickers?

What? Yes, hadn't you noticed all the selections of red underwear -male and female- that abounds at this time of year? They're sure to have some at the Chinese shops if you forgot to buy any for tonight. But why? One of the least evident traditions for New Year's Eve in Spain -one of many - requires that you wear red underwear to meet the New Year. It apparently gives you luck in finding a partner (it doesn't specify whether permanent or temporary). Until quite recently, if you wore yellow underwear, all you got was luck. We have been unable to find out where or when this tradition began, but if it has anything to do with cunning marketing, like the eating of the 12 grapes at midnight (see below), we wouldn't be at all surprised. But this is not the only 'good-luck traditional ritual' (i.e. superstitions), here are some more, including some pretty strange ones:>>>

Tobi el castañero

This is Tobi (short for Cristóbal). He sells castañas, or chestnuts. He sells them by the main square of an evening - just follow the smoke. He roasts them in a home made device that is in fact traditional wherever roasted chestnuts are sold at this time of year (we read an article recently complaining about how they had disappeared from cities). The appearance of the castañero marks the unofficial start of Autumn, which seems to be happening later every year, though he's been there for about a month already. Anyway, Tobi is one of Jimena's characters. He calls himself un buscavidas, which means he will tackle (almost) anything to feed the wolves at his door. And his castañas are good, even better at €1 a paper cone-full.

What's a chumbo?

Chumbera (Photo: Vicente Palacín)

You've seen them everywhere, those pinky yellow fruits at the top of rows of cacti along the side of the road, or dividing one field from another. They are the chumbos, sometimes called prickly pears; delicious to eat, but very difficult to pick and prepare to eat. The chumbo grows on a chumbera (as an higo, fig, grows on an higuera - Spanish conversation classes starting next week, people!) Below is a how-to item that will interest our more daring readers:>>>

How did that zambomba get in your ear?

It could, you know. It produces a sound, does a zambomba. An instrument that requires some skill and a lot of practice, although once you have it, you have it. But we should start at the beginning. That is, with the costumes. No, not costumes, which imply fancy dress, but the right clothes. Remember, we're talking Christmas, therefore shepherds. Though in the case of Andalucía, it's more likely to be goatherds (photo below). No matter, the mountains are cold, so they wear sheepskin over a traditional checkered shirt (photo). Trousers (types of) may be optional, but not the chaps. Hang on, we mean the chaps they wear over the optional trousers, like the ones worn by cowboys, less fancy but with the same objective: to protect the legs from pricks - okay, thorns. (Still following us? See more below)>

Collecting toys for the Three Kings to distribute

Jimena Council and several local associations are organizing a campaign, called No Child Without  Toy,  to collect toys for the kids who might otherwise not get any on the morning of Three Kings (January 6th). Below you will find when and where the collections will be taking place, and who are getting involved in this excellent idea. You can take a new or semi-new toy, preferably wrapped -please indicate boy (niño) or girl (niña) if you can't see what it is. The Spanish gift-giving tradition is not Santa Claus (however many of these we see nowadays), but The Three Kings, or Magi, who come round early on Epiphany Morning (Jan. 6th) to distribute their toys to all the children. Those who misbehave will get only a few bits of coal... (See below for collection schedule)>

Our Lady of the Angels, procession yesterday evening

Jimena's patron saint was taken in procession from the San Francisco Church up Romo (that was a challenge well taken by the costaleros, or bearers - see faces on photo!) to the Nuestra Señora de la Victoria Church. This happens but once every five years. She was applauded all through the village, especially at the various stops along the way. To shouts of ¡Viva la Reina de los Ángeles! came the response ¡Viva!, as in three cheers. Shortly after Her arrival at the Llano de la Victoria, Father Antonio said a Mass, and then Our Lady was given a twirl by the bearers before entering the church backwards (so She can come out frontwards, of course). The rain held off perfectly until just after She was settled into the church (well, She has a direct line). You can see the progression from start to finish on our Web Album: the first part here, the second part here (incl. the 'twirl').

Disappearing trades in the area

OneLinePULSE Publications is preparing articles and maybe even another site dealing with disappearing trades and/or crafts in the Campo de Gibraltar area. This is a photo of Prospero's friend Pedro, who is a talabartero, a  generic term for 'saddler' that can sometimes even include upholstery. Pedro, who lives and works in Jimena, makes those wonderfully colourful things worn by mules and donkeys during ferias and other special occasions - more photos, sent in by Gonzalo Pozo, below.>

Bewick is back - and writes about vuvuzelas...

After an absence of three months, our colleague Alexander Bewick has 'thrown up' at his computer (his words, not ours) again. In an article titled 'Tradition, right or wrong - but why?', he rails against tradition for the sake of it. Bewick's blog, The Alexander Bewick Soap Box is part of OneLinePULSE Publications, which publishes this and other, partner sites, as well as our 'colour supplement' DominGo, the latest edition of which is delayed for purely humanitarian reasons that we will not discuss here.

'Hasta el 40 de mayo no te quites el sayo', a Spanish saying

Loosely translated Hasta el 40 de mayo no te quites el sayo means 'Don't take off your coat until the 40th of May'. A sayo is defined as a loose piece of clothing - a cape, perhaps - that reaches down to the knees. The picture is of a similar garment used in the Canary Isles that includes a shawl over the head and is evidently of Arab origin, though the Spanish mainland version is shorter. It might also apply to a raincoat of sorts. The saying dates from the Middle Ages, as does the garment, which was also used under armour. The 40th of May is today and if you look out of your window, you'll understand why we make mention of it...

Council proposes ban on smoking in all public places, including streets and plazas

(Ress release) Jimena Council has announced that, in accordance with a similar national law expected to be in place next year, it will be proposing (and presumably approving by majority) a ban on all tobacco smoking in the municipality's public places, including not only bars, restaurants and all buildings but also streets, plazas and gardens. The proposal is to be put to the Council at its next plenary session and the ban is expected to come into effect as from its publication in the Official Provincial Bulletin (BOP in its Spanish acronym), approximately by mid-January. Strong opposition from non-governing parties is expected. (Prospero note: no mention is made of other substances.)>

Calling all traditional craftspeople

The municipal delegation at Los Ángeles (formerly Estación) is putting together a Local Crafts Fair on November 14 and 15 at the Reina Sofía Cultural Centre. The idea is to increase awareness of the work of craftspeople from the whole municipality, much of which specializes in traditions that are rapidly dying out, including root carving, marquetry, traditional shoe mending (photo), work in cork, grass plaiting, etc. The delegation is calling on all crafts men and women to participate. For more information, call 956 641 236 or 610 355 734. As a complement to the fair, Domingo Calvente will offer a workshop on his craft (root carving), in which anyone can participate. The delegation is now working on extending these workshops to other specialities.

April in December

We at JimenaPulse feel bound to remind our readers that Sunday, December 28th, is Día de los Inocentes, or Day of the Innocents. Once called Santos Inocentes, or Innocent Saints, and thus probably yet another holiday, it is the Spanish equivalent of April Fool’s Day. It is possible that your Spanish neighbours will want to play some sort of practical joke on you, which may come as a surprise if you’re not prepared for it. A favourite is to stick a paper figure such as that illustrated, on your back – you might then hear people calling out “Inocente” as you pass. So be warned… and take it in good humour.

Let's ham it up

You’ve heard the expression pata negra, haven’t you? It means ‘black foot’, though a better translation might be ‘black trotter’. It is used to refer to ‘the very best’ because, supposedly, the black-hoofed ham is the best of all. But beware, it is also expensive – and if the price is ridiculously low, chances are a white trotter has seen a lot of black shoe polish. But in fact, pata negra is really just a reference to a breed of pig with black trotters, not necessarily an ibérico (i.e. Iberian) breed, of which there are plenty of white-hoofed variations.>