Ezpata Dantza facing the altar La Antigua hermitage, Zumarraga.
[ Index | Presentation | Guide Searchs | Guest Book | Versión en Español | Main Server ]
The Ezpata-Dantzak are split up into two choreographic groups; one of them dances with long swords, making bridges, guides, arches, ect. The other with short swords, where three dancers dance and move their arms in careful arrangements, giving the dance a solemn and martial appearance, difficult to match.
Ezpata Dantza facing the altar La Antigua hermitage, Zumarraga.
La Ezpata-Dantza de La Antigua in ZUMARRAGA (July 2nd) is performed inside La Antigua hermitage, which is an architectural jewel located in a beautiful setting. The inhabitants of Zumárraga and nearby towns make a pilgrimage to the hermitage to honour the Virgin, and enjoy a traditional festivity. Procession, mass, dances (Ezpata-Dantza and Aurresku), ending up with a popular meal, and a merry open-air dance.
The captain is lifted up on the swords. Ezpata-Dantza, Legazpia
The "Octavario" or "Okravario Dantza" is performed in LEGAZPIA on May 3rd. Worthy of mention is the making of the rose called a grill by the locals. The swords are criss-crossed around the captain's neck; then, the captain hops on it, and starts dancing at the rhythm of the other three dancers provided with short swords.
The Ezpata-Dantza performed in DEBA during the local festivities of San Roque has its own peculiarities too. Here long oles are used instead of swords. At half past nine in the morning, and after the running of the bulls, the dancers gather together in front of the church waiting for the statue of the Patron Saint San Roque to be taken out. They dance, for the first time in the morning, in front of the statue, and then start the long walk that separates the church from the saint's hermitage located on Aldatz-Goi hill.
A mass is said there, followed by a dance. Back in town, the dancers will perform several times at different spots. Once the procession is over, dancers head towards the bullring, where they dance the "Gizon-Dantza".
In TOLOSA, on Midsummer Day, we find another type: the "Bordon-Dantza". According to the legend, its origin goes back to the border fights in the Middle Ages, when the troops from Gipuzkoa had an important victory over the troops from Navarre at the Battle of Beotibar. Sticks and halberds give the dance even more pomp and dignity. There are about twenty four dancers, and the dance is part of a merry, noisy and colourful atmosphere: dances, a military parade, musicians, processions, bullfights, etc...
Once the mass is over, different groups join in the procession, which goes along decorated streets, where dancers stop at different spots to perform the dance with sticks. At the same time, companies of soldiers walk around the streets to the sound of fifes and drums. Late in the afternoon, the councillors and the dancers get together to go to church; later on, they will go to the bullfight. To round off the day, the dancers will, of course, perform another dance, that is the "Aurresku" (the social dance of the folklore of Gipuzkoa) in Igarondo field.
In BEASAIN, four days after Ascension Day, one can see a simple Ezpata-Dantza, and a graceful flag waving in San Martin de Loinaz.
Gizon-Dantza or Aurresku. La Antigua open-air dance, Zumarraga
The dances so far described finish up with another one called Gizon-Dantza or Aurresku. The Aurresku is, par excellence, the social dance of the folklore of Gipuzkoa, where men and women, provided with handkerchieves, dance hand-in-hand. The first dancer (aurreskulari, primera mano) and the last one (atzeskulari, última mano) go into the square hand-in-hand. They perform a rather complex dance before the women join in. Once the group is completed, they dance "fandangos", "jotas" (traditional dances). The "Soka-Dantza" (rope dance) was a very popular dance performed in our town squares and open-air dances until well into the 20th century.
ARETXABALETA and ESKORIATZA offer an interesting version. The young men of call-up age eagerly follow the tradition, which is completed with a money collection, and putting up the Midsummer tree. From St. Agatha's Day to shrove Sunday, the dance is repeated again every Sunday from seven o'clock in the evening.
In ORDIZIA, on July 27th, the day after St. Anne's Day, the couples who have got married that year are the performers. They assemble in the Town Hall from which they depart following the town mayor. The women wear beautiful Manila shawls. The dance is popularly known as "Esku Dantza de Santaneros"
The Gizon-Dantza is not the only mixed variety of traditional dance in Gipuzkoa. There is another exception: the "Ingurutxos", dances performed in circles and in pairs. In UGARTE, in a district of AMEZKETA, and on the first Sunday in October, on the occasion of the local festivities, eight or ten couples of different ages go to the town square to dance this simple dance around noon. They perform again in the afternoon.
In September, in BEDAIO, in a district of TOLOSA, several couples of all ages from the district dance the "Ingurutxu" during the local festivities. In the morning and in the afternoon, the first and the last in the line (the butlers) take their partners to the town square to dance the whole dance. At the end, wine is offered to all the dancers. Later, they will dance all together.
In the 17th and 8th centuries there were some widely spread and fashionable dances organized in cycles, which included some choreographic figures with tools. A series called "Brokel-Dantza" has survived up to the present day in GIPUZKOA.
The folklorist Juan Ignacio de Iztueta (1767-1845) published a book in 1824 about the dances in Gipuzkoa, where he mentioned that series, which consisted of nine figures; only eight have survived, and were danced with sticks, ribbons, etc. They are bright and colourful (violent kickings in the air, and clashing with the above mentioned tools). The dances are performed in groups of eight or twelve, plus a captain (buruzagi) who conducts the dance.
ANTZUOLA celebrates its local festivities in the third week of July. It is worth mentioning a peculiar celebration that, under the name of "Alarde del Moro", represents a farce reviving a local company of soldiers' victory over the Moorish army; they still keep a replica of the flag taken away from the Moors. A local man dressed in Moorish costume acts out the defeat and the obedience to the local general. After the military parade four dances are performed (arches, ribbons, small and large sticks) that are called the "Troqueo- Dantza".
In BERASTEGI, on August 1 0th, (St. Lawrence) a series of nine dances is performed known as "San Juan Lantzak"
A blend of procession and dances in Corpus Christi, Oñati.
OÑATI certainly has one of the most important local festivities in the province. Either on Thursday before Corpus Christi, or on the following Sunday, one can enjoy a colourful and beautiful day with processions and dances, which will astonish those who see them for the first time. Eight or twelve dancers led by a captain dance non-stop, going forward and backward all along the procession. The dancers wear white costumes, a short red skirt, and carry castanets. The 400-year old dances are not to be missed on a visit to our province, both for their beauty, and for their folkloric value.
LIZARTZA has a more modest series performed at the festivities of the Virgin in September. The dancers wear colourful shawls around their shoulders.
Except for the Tolosa carnival, the carnival in Gipuzkoa had almost been lost. However, the boom in the last few years predicts an excellent future for it. As opposed to this modern urban form of carnival, we have remains of the mythical rural carnival.
Txantxo-Dantza inside Igarza farmhouse, Abaltzisketa.
In AMEZKETA and ABALTZISKETA they dance "txantxok" or "Txantxo-Dantza", the "txantxos" dance (in fancy dress, with masks on). In both country towns, early in the morning, the group assembles and starts a long tour of the farmsteads in the area; in the case of Amezketa it takes them two days. Carrying sticks, they perform a simple dance called "Makil-Dantza" at each farmhouse. The groups are made up of an accordeonist, eight or twelve dancers (txantxos), one who collects the gifts (zesterue), and a leader (mozorro).
In ARETXABALETA a group of people wearing smocks and blackened faces go through the main street singing and dancing to the sound of a monotonous tune. Mimed and often lewd dance, the "Txino-Dantza", delights the audience.
However, according to the written tradition (the work by Iztueta) "Aseri-Dantza" or the fox dance was the carnival's most characteristic dance. The "Jorrai-Dantxa" or weeding dance is another distinctive dance of that time of the year.
The Aseri-Dantza is a long and choregraphically varied dance-play, which is both solemn and funny by turns. This dance is performed today, only in ADUNA, during the Midsummer Day festivities.
Until the 20th century, the Jorrai-Dantza was part of the series of dances performed during carnival. Nowadays, to be able to watch it, one has to go either to DEBA or MUTRIKU, when both towns celebrate their local festivities or otherwise watch a performance by a dance group. It is quite a comical dance; two young men carrying bulging wineskins over their shoulders get between the two rows of dancers. The dancers carrying sticks in their hands hit the wineskins with them, until the beares fall to the ground.
To describe every local festivity in Gipuzkoa would be an endless task, so we are going to mention only two, which due to their colourfulness, deserve special attention.
Every year HONDARRIBIA celebrates the election of sea abbots and mayors. On July 25th, a girl escorted by two members of a brotherhood carries a coffer (kutxa) on her head from the brotherhood's headquaters to the church, and back again. At the end of the journey, the girl starts whirling round and round, the coffer still on her head, much to the delight of the onlookers.
Every four years, on August 6th, Elcano's landing is performed in GETARIA. Juan Sebastián Elcano, born in Getaria, set sail on Magallanes' expedition. The first trip round the world ended 1124 days later. It has been performed every four years since 1922, the year of its fouth centenary (1981 - 85 - 89 - 93 - 97 - etc.).
Tamborrada (drumming parade) in San Sebastián The Unión Artesana playing the March of San Sebastián in the Plaza de Sarriegui.
On January 19th, at midnight, the city celebrates one of its most beloved festivities: La Tamborrada (The Drumming Parade). Everybody gathers in the Plaza de la Constitución to enjoy Sarriegui's music.
The children take over during the day of the drumming parade.
The celebration continues for another twenty-four hours, until the following day, when different associations, schools and societies take part. Adults and children alike parade the streets filling the air with the sound of drums and barrels.
Less spectacular, but also deep-rooted, is the feast-day of St. Agatha, on February 5th; then, at nighfall, St. Agatha's Choir can be heard singing in the street.
The boilermakers's songs herald in the carnival.
A Boilermakers' procession (Caldereros) representing the arrival of Hungarian gipsies in the city announces the carnival. On Candleman Day, the first Saturday after February 2nd, hundreds of locals, dressed as gipsies, go round the main streets, singing merry songs at nightfall.
The following Sunday another procession before the carnival; this time of wet-nurses and shepherds (Iñudes and Artzaias), who dance and make a parody of the characters they represent.
Dance groups as well as different local societies take part during the carnival in a great and colourful parade.
On Midsummer's Eve, on June 23rd, around seven o'clock in the evening, St. John's tree is blessed in the Plaza de la Constitución. A solemn Aurresku is performed after the ceremony. Fires are lit in every district of the city at midnight.
On Corpus Christi a solemn procession is held in Buen Pastor Cathedral; the Ezpata-Dantza is performed too.
On July 1 6th, the city pays tribute to the fishermen (arrantzaleak), and the port is the chosen setting for a variety of games, rural sports, dances, etc.
In mid August San Sebastián celebrates its "Semana Grande", a week when traditional music and sporty events are held, as well as its renowned firework displays. On August 31 st, it is worth walking along the street of the same name to witness a unique sight. To commemorate the 1813 fire, the whole street is lit up with candles.
In September the city celebrates "Euskal Jaiak", two weeks of traditional local festivities; the famous regattas in La Concha Bay also take place then.
On December 21st, one can go along the Plaza de la Constitución, to see St. Thomas Fair, an agricultural show, and the chance to sample "txistorra" (the local salami). On Christmas' Eve, following an old Basque tradition called Olentzero, many choirs of adults and children sing Christmas carols in the streets.
The outlying districts of San Sebastián celebrate their festivities too. The following are:
Igeldo: (June 29th). Regional dances, rural sports, open- air dances, etc.
Añorga: (July 1 6th). Regional shows, open-air dances, etc.
Zubieta: (July 25th). Pelota, gastronomy, etc.
Loiola: (July, 31 st). Rural sports, dances, music, etc.
Antiguo: (August 1 5th). Coincide with Semana Grande.
Artikutza: (August 28th). This wonderful natural park is open to the public on that day (the only day in the year).
The Military Tattoos ("Alarde de Armas") spring from the need to train people for war. Once a year, the towns in the province would have military training to keep companies of soldiers in a state of readiness to defend them.
Famous deeds, victories, or the troops' participation on different battle fronts, gave rise to a kind of folklore, partly still alive in our province. Because the military parades lent themselves more to spectacle (civile festivities) than dances (usually related to religious ceremonies), today they have developed into a very colourful and spectacular display.
Shots are fired as a reminiscence ot the old battles during the military
tatoo, Hondarribia.
We are referring to the massive and impressive military tattoos in HONDARRIBIA and IRUN, and the less spectacular ones in Tolosa and Antzuola, each one with its own particular charm, and worth devoting some time to them. On September 8th, amid much noise and a colourful parade, Hondarribia celebrates the vow to our Lady of Guadalupe in 1639, in gratitude for the victory over the siege by the Prince of Condé. Thousands of participants, divided into twenty companies, walk around the streets firing shots into the air, and playing drums and fifes. Around noon, they go up to the Shrine of Guadalupe on Mount Jaizkibel, where they continue the merry celebrations. In the afternoon, they go back to the town to continue with the firing. It is worth watching the woodmen's company, whose members wear impressive sheep skin caps, and we should also emphasize the part played by the send-off party, composed of young girls in traditional costumes, which head the companies.
IRUN celebrates its parade on June 30th, on St. Martial's Day. Here, as well as in Hondarribia, thousands of people take part. When the "General)" gives the order, thousands of shotguns fire at the same time; a great thrill for the spectators.
A military parade in TOLOSA (see in folklore).
A military parade in ANTZUOLA (see in folklore).
[ Index | Presentation | Guide Searchs | Guest Book | Versión en Español | Main Server ]
Last modified: Nov, 02, 1999