CANTABRIA TRADITIONS

The tradition of Cantabria is the set of traditions, music, dances,

stories, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, superstitions , crafts and
other elements of the body to express the Cantabrian culture .

There is a long tradition of stories about supernatural creatures in the

region, as Ojáncana and Anjanas , closely related to creatures of similar
names in the tradition of other places of Spain.

On these things are preserved formulas stories and oral tradition

Cantabria, intended to warn of its activities, deter or win their favor. Many
of these sayings and rhymes are Spaniard dialect and are a valuable
documentation. There are several folklorists who have dedicated themselves
to the study of Cantabrian tradition.

Kids Day of Cantabria in the camp of the Magdalena ( Santander ).

The holidays in Cantabria is concentrated among the festivities of San

Juan and San Miguel. There are three types of Attraction: The religious
celebration in honor of the patron saints or the Virgin Mary's place, pagan
amusements more or less survival of folklore, and finally the business dealings
of the fairs of the year. If you are looking for the origins of the festival of
Cantabria , you can not go back to times long gone. No doubt there was a
tradition, but that mostly was lost. Therefore, it is common to many localities
have invented new traditions for the celebration of a festival.

Thus, Cantabria came closures , carnivals , parades of floats (known as

the Battle of Flowers in Laredo ) and the popular and widespread custom of
the gastronomic festival, whose remote origin might be forgotten in the
hunting of bison on the inhabitants of Altamira .
 The tunes for solo voice or a voice choir accompanied rhythmically
based on tambourine, tarrañuelas, whistle, drums and rebec . This instrument
deserves special attention because of its ancient origin and elemental, yet
they artists as genuine and spontaneous as "Lin Airoso" in Campoo and Pedro
Madrid Polaciones , he can extract from heartfelt melodies.

The Marzan

The Marzan are other peculiarities of the traditions of Cantabria. It is a

festival dedicated to the arrival of spring. These songs are sung, in some
places last night in February , the first verse of romance Marcero which
says: "March of flowers, you're welcome" .

The holidays are also an auspicious opportunity for tendering some

Cantabria sports such as racing drifters , the game of bowling or, of more
recent origin, drag competitions pairs of oxen or cows . But the most common
and popular celebration is the pilgrimage , understood as a dance and picnic
outdoors, in which no fault or the orchestra, and the snack bars and the bar
street and the post of churros .

Among the highlights pilgrimages rise on September 16 at Alto de San

Cipriano at Cartes , during which he gets into sandals from Riocorvo to the
hermitage of San Cipriano in Cohicillos, and the Santuca, a celebration that
dates back before the century XV. Each April 24 the image of the Virgin,
patron saint of Liebana , is lowered from the chapel to the town of
Somaniezo , and the next day Aniezo . On May 2 is carried in procession
from there to the Monastery of Santo Toribio , and in the afternoon it back
to Aniezo, he returns to the chapel two days later.

The Vijanera

Bear The Vijanera in Silió .

It is one of the most typical celebrations of the

autonomous community of Cantabria . Held in the
town of Silió ( Molledo ) the first Sunday of
January It consists of a winter masquerade
which involved many costumed characters, among which the figure of
zomorromoco who travel to the edge of the village or town neighbors to expel
evil spirits.

Carnival Santoña sailor

Held on February 24 in Santoña . Popularly called the "Carnival of the
North", this carnival that dates back to 1934 , with the participation of
neighboring largely disguised as a variety of fish. The highlight is the "Trial
in the seabed, where it is judged to bream before the last act, "The burning
of sea bream." During her trial, a character disguised as a bream is moved to
the Plaza de San Antonio in a cart pulled by a donkey, accompanied by a
series of bands and street musicians with costumed characters. In the square
awaits a court of lawyers, judges and prosecutors willing to hold a hearing of
the case. Numerous costumed fish up to the podium to accuse or defend.
Finally, bream, symbolic of the carnival king, accused of kidnapping a siren, is
sentenced to burn at bay.

Living Passion

Held on Friday in Castro Urdiales . It consists of a play featuring more than

300 volunteer participants. This holiday tradition is short (late 1980 ), but
has already built a strong reputation in Cantabria.

La Folia

Usually held the Sunday after Easter in San

Vicente de la Barquera . It consists of a
maritime procession virgin Barquerena waters by boats of local fishermen. La
Virgen de la Barquera is transferred from the church to the old port through
the center of town. During this journey, they form a committee of young men
dressed as sailors and local set dancers. Once at the old pier, are directed
to the new port in a procession of boats accompanying the virgin leading
singing and cheering.

La Virgen de la Luz

It takes place on May 2 in pots . That day was a procession in which

participants from dog Aniezo hermitage to the monastery of Santo Toribio
carrying the image of their patron saint, the Virgen de la Luz . This is the
longest procession route from the Iberian peninsula, crossing between the
outward and return a total of 27 kilometers .

San Pedruco

Held on June 29 in Comillas . The San Pedruco is an ancient festival that the
people of this town kept with enthusiasm. On day 28, the saint is moved from
the chapel of San Pedro to the church of San Cristobal, and at night they
light a bonfire. The next day after the ceremonies, the saint is taken from
inside the church to the porch, where he is feted with dancing and singing
towards the inhabitants. San Pedruco also celebrated in the town of Solares .
 Coso Blanco

Float in the edition of 2006 of Coso Blanco .

Held the first Friday of July in Castro

Urdiales . It is a colorful parade of floats
and brass bands craft accompanied by
numerous bands, which takes place on the
promenade at night and culminates in a fireworks display that makes this
festival one of the busiest in the region.

Verbena Shawl

Takes place the first Saturday of July in the town of Branches of Victoria .
In this event go to local women dressed in that garment. The festival has its
origin in the Carlist Wars , when the general Espartero after winning
Branches in 1839 (when the town was renamed Branches of Victoria) gave the
local youth with trunks full of shawls that supporters of Infante Don Carlos
had abandoned in their flight.

The Maya

Held on July 25 in Silió , according to an ancient custom which is renewed

every year during the festivities of each locality. The young men go out to
the people around in search of you , which then cut down and driven into the
town square. Then greased the trunk and after decorating it as a greasy pole
, they compete with each other for some of the prizes that are at the end.
Those who succeed are celebrated by singing and dancing girls.

The party also celebrated the Maya traditionally Pujayo day San Lorenzo (10
August), and Tresviso .

Day Cantabria

Held the second Sunday in August in Cabezón de la Sal . Cantabrian folk

music, craft fair and ceramics, food products typical discourse of regional
authorities, championship bowling , drive oxen and cattle marking to fire are
only a few the many activities that come together in this feast of exaltation
of the Cantabrian traditions visited each year.
 Black Cat

It takes place on August 16 in Carasa . This

celebration is pagan origins. In it, the original
residents dress in costumes and paint their faces to
avoid recognition. Later, go out for a black cat which once captured, placed
in a bag given to a previously chosen villager, who will be responsible for
reciting a few couplets comic, supposedly the result of confidential
information given by the cat. Finally released the animal and chase.

Battle of Flowers

Held on August 25 in Laredo . The ultimate party

pejina is a spectacular parade of floats decorated
with flowers and also represents the work of many
months and more years experience. A jury determines the
winner of the prize for best float based on artistic criteria. At night, the
beach at Laredo Salvé is adorned with fireworks.

Cantabrian Wars

Held the last weekend of August and the first

weekend in September in Los Corrales de
Buelna . In 2001 started off this event marking historical character, who
despite his youth has more than established and active participation has more
than 1,800 people divided into 13 tribes of Cantabria and 13 Roman legions
representing these wars have occurred more than 2,000 years in these lands.
The landing of the Roman legions in Santander , the Cantabrian recreation of
a wedding and the camps of both sides in the town corraliega are some of the
most-watched events.

Recently, the feast of the Cantabrian wars have been declared a Festival of
National Tourist Interest . Started a new cycle at this event, which is now in
its eighth edition, the first in 2001

Day Campoo

Takes place the last Sunday of September in Reinosa , as part of the

celebrations of San Mateo . Regional tourist interest since 1977 and held
since the nineteenth century , is an exhibition of customs and traditions of
the people campurriano in its capital. Past livestock, market products and
typical regional costumes are the stars at this event.
 Fair Saints

It is celebrated on November 1 in Arredondo . Ranchers throughout the

region flock to the town, set up their sheds in front of the church and held a
procession in the evening.

Music and dance

Piteras Cantabria.

Cantabria dances are of great variety, with complicated

dance of spears and paloteo , popular forms like pericote
lebaniego or jacks or religious mountain as Picayos .

The dances of Picayos songs are accompanied by changing

theme, alluding to the needs and grievances of the people
referred to the employer or employer's place as a request to be addressed.
Perhaps a derivation of these songs are the lyrics of the latest balladeers,
who disregard or the taunts and ridicule of individuals and institutions.

There was a rich tradition of vocal music where the property include mountain
tune with the voice alone or accompanied by bagpipes , the rounds , the
stinging couplets accompanied by rebec and pandereteras . A very popular
instrumental group is made up of a drum and a clarinet locally known as acute
mountain pitu . Other traditional wind instruments are the bagpipes, growing,
and vozaina the silbu or albogues longer in use.

Cantabrian folk music has not had the same projection outside the Galicia and
Asturias.