Last night we met up with parents of gatito's friends at 8:30pm. That was "right!"
(The wrong: me wearing faded jeans, hiking shoes and a black fleece.....their family looks like they stepped out of a fashion magazine. Gatito's friend in shorts, colored boy stockings, matching shoes and a little Berber-like coat. My family steps out of grunge.)
Attire aside, they led us through the crowd to a side street along the procession route where we could almost breath. We stood with thousands of others and watched the hundreds of nazarinths pass. Our children are pushed to the front so they can see (but where we can't see them). A man from the front calls back to us: "I've got one hand on each child's shoulder". Then he tells them that when the nazarinths give them candies, he wants a cut! They entertain themselves asking for candy, little cards with pictures of virgins and Jesus on them and then wax from the candles carried by the same nazarinths (the candle is turned on its side, the melted wax is collected onto a ball of paper that grows in color and size with dripping wax through all the days and years of processions). When the SECOND procession passes (11:00pm), and the Jesus float stops right in front of us, a woman from a balcony above begins to sing. Everyone hushes to listen to her beautiful, plaintive song. I had goosebumps.
THIS was my idea of Semana Santa. People not just drinking to drunkeness, eating and talking on cell phones with intermittent glances at the procession, but a mass of people actually engaged with the spirituality. Even if I don't feel the religion, I loved the moment of people coming together in good spirit and mood. Quite beautiful.
After that, they led us to a tapa bar where we elbowed our way inside to eat and drink. The Don returned home at that point (it being 12:30am) because he had to do early morning field work, but gatito and I stayed on for 2 more processions, finally "leaving the friends early" and walking home (the streets were PACKED PACKED PACKED with people). It was 2:30am.
I'm rather trashed today...all that excitement meant I didn't sleep until 4:30am. Gatito's first words upon waking. "Anoche fue muy divertido." I agreed.
And then he reminded me that the Esperanza de Triana, who is around the corner from our house, is coming out at 3:00am tonight/tomorrow. His ball of wax must grow!
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6 comments:
Wow. Gatito and you have some serious staying power. I love that the guy wanted a cut of their candy for keeping an eye on them. The parade sounds so beautiful and, mostly because of the lateness hour, surreal. Tell me more about the wax!
Omigod! I hope Gatito didn't have school. That's nuts. But it sounds lovely as well.
I hope you continue to have fun and are not sleep deprived.
Keep us updated!
Right now, THOUSANDS in my tiny street. the drums beat on, the brass screeches. La Esperanza de Triana is coming back in (alas we didn't see her come out....too late, too many people). The Don & Gatito left before I woke up, so they're in the mix below my window.
Gatito says, "i must see the Esperanza." "Why?" I ask. "B/c I like the name and it's the name of my favorite bar"
omigod is right!
Amazing. I have to say, because of my life as a Mormon, I am so drawn to the pageantry and ritual you describe. Even here in the U.S., attending a full Holy Week of activity a few times in the past was revelatory. What a wonderful thing, to be where you are and see what you're seeing. Even if you _are_ sleep-deprived!
Yes, I am understanding it more and more...a coming together, profound and communal.
Semana Santa is intoxicating, nothing to compare to here in the ole US of A. Although I never got to stay out that late, really experience it, as I was a Mormon missionary--so much I missed because of the indoctrinated need to convert everyone. And isn't it just amazing how late Spaniards will stay out in the streets? We are certainly missing something here in the US.
All we need is a state religion and a thousand years of religious tradition--of course there might be some drawbacks to that:)
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