A few weeks after I moved here in March, another round of celebrations was about to commence. One evening I noticed musicians and costumed people headed in the same direction as it seemed the general public was. So, I followed, wondering what was going on. The 'costumed' people looked like what we in the States know as Ku Klux Klan because they wore ground-length gowns and cone-shaped hats on their heads which covered their face except for eye-holes.
A mere 2 blocks from my apartment crowds were gathering and lining the streets for what was obviously to be some sort of parade. People reserved the best spots by bringing chairs and lining the edge of the curbs with them.
It was Holy Thursday and the celebration was Semana Santa.
Let's see what I can gleen from Senor Wiki about Semana Santa, Holy Thursday in particular...
Thousands of people congregate in the streets of Palma to see the solemn processions of the 'Crist de la Sang' carried out by the brotherhoods , who make their way of penance through the streets of the city. Each brotherhood is dressed in 'capirotes'....tunics and hoods with a cone shape (the KKK look), and they carry heavy religious statues (more like full-on floats!) on their shoulders while a band plays solemn music. Processions end after midnight.
The procession centers around 'pasos' (also known as 'tronos'), which are lifelike wood or plaster sculptures of individual scenes of the events that happened between Jesus' arrest and his burial. Think parade float, but carried on the shoulders of penitents!!!
The (floats if you will) are carried through the streets by 'costaleros' (translated literally as "sack men", because of the sack-like cloth that they wear over their neck, to soften the burden). These pasos and tronos are physically carried on their necks or "braceros". The paso can weigh up to five metric tonnes. In front of them walk the penitentes, dressed in long purple robes, often with pointed hats, followed by women in black carrying candles for up to 11 hours.
I think once you see the photos and video below, you'll get the idea.
The crowd starts to build and fill the street to standing room only. Luckily, I found a perfect spot with almost unrestricted viewing.
I didn't feel like standing for a long time to wait for the event to start, so I grabbed a seat in an outdoor cafe 1/2 block away and enjoyed a yummy blueberry cheesecake and coffee.
The crowd thickens.
The kids you see had the responsibility of keeping the long candles lit.
Remember what I wrote above. These (photo below) are the 'pasos' or 'tronos' being CARRIED, by men underneath, along the route at a verrry (almost painstakingly) slow pace. Officials were stationed outside the float in regular looking suits, to shout out orders to those underneath who had no way of seeing what they were doing.
As you watch the video below, take notice of all the feet behind the drapes at the bottom of the float, hiding them from public view. Notice the slow cadence of their walk, and the slow side-step maneuver they execute to navigate a 90 degree turn.
The military band at the beginning of the video plays a slow solemn musical piece (repeatedly) the entire length of the procession.
Due to the mind-numbing pace of the procession, I did a lot of cutting to keep the video relatively short. But, at least you can see the level of painstaking effort the process requires.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO
When I left to walk home, I passed another outdoor cafe with very interesting drinks!!! Note the girl on the left with her head tilted back sucking up her drink. Grab a straw!!
And that was my night....something I accidentally encountered and, conveniently, right there in my own 'hood!!
Dano
Such a interesting blog, and the way they move the floats are just mind blowing.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy all your blogs