Six traditions and festivals that are still going strong in Malaga province, despite Halloween

Javier Almellones

Malaga

Friday, 25 October 2024, 17:12

It has been part of the celebrations on 31 October, on the eve of All Saints' Day, for decades now, but it is also true that, until the beginning of this century, it was a custom that was only associated with English-speaking countries. Halloween has gradually established itself in Spain as a holiday that is especially popular with children, who are eager to dress up in scary costumes and enjoy trick-or-treating.

But before this imported tradition took such a strong foothold in Spain mostly thanks to television and cinema, and specifically in Malaga province, there were other pagan or religious customs for these dates. Many of them have been lost as they have been overlapped or eclipsed by Halloween, although there are some that have survived, especially in villages, thanks to the determination of the local population. In some cases they keep to the customs as before, while in others they have adapted to influences of new customs brought in from outside. These are the main ones that will be celebrated mostly on the night of 31 October or during the first days of November (some even earlier).

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This tradition has almost three centuries of history, as its origin lies in the terrible earthquake that struck Lisbon on 1 November, 1755. The people of Coín, unlike most of Spain, did not suffer any misfortune, which, according to the believers, is wholly due to the protection granted by their patron saint, the Virgen de la Fuensanta. Since then, every year on the night of 31 October, the Virgen's image is taken out to be carried through the main streets of the town. It is a particularly solemn procession in which they try to ensure that the only illumination they have is that of the candles carried by the attending locals. The procession will take place on Thursday evening, 31 October, after a mass in honour of the saint. The procession starts after midnight. This does not mean that in Coín there is no option to celebrate Halloween, that event will be held hours beforehand in the Old Library of this Malaga town.

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This town is not only known for its sultanas or for having the Bandolero museum since 2023 that houses the entire collection from the museum of banditry in Ronda. It is also a town that is committed to preserving its traditions. It is therefore not surprising that, on the eve of All Saints' Day, it has revived the Noche de Ánimas. The old quarter, which surrounds the church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario, is the ideal setting at nightfall to get a good fright when the Santa Compaña passes by. With little lighting and the passing by of a group of people dressed in white robes, the scare is guaranteed. In addition to this tradition, there will also be other activities on the same evening, such as tasting sessions with chestnuts and sweets. This revival of the Noche de Ánimas has been made possible thanks to the impetus from the local conservation association El Pasero, the involvement of the town's younger generation and support from the town hall itself.

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In recent years, the small town of Fuente de Piedra has managed to bring back one of the traditions that used to be celebrated in this and other towns in Andalucía. It is known as La Ureña. In the past, the protagonists were the altar boys from the main church who went from house to house asking for seasonal food, such as roasted chestnuts or quince jelly. Today this tradition has been revived and updated in the town of Fuente de Piedra thanks to the efforts of the local women's group (Asociación Amanecer (Dawn)) and the support of the town hall. Thus, on Thursday evening, in addition to the terrifying costumes, the town will be able to enjoy gachas (a hefty porridge), chestnuts, traditional cakes and hot chocolate from 7pm in the main square (Plaza de la Constitución). There will also be other fun activities, especially for the children.

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This play has been part of the traditions linked to the eve of All Saints' Day for decades, although nowadays very few municipalities are committed to the re-presentation of this classic drama by José Zorrilla. The best known in the province of Malaga for maintaining this custom is the town of Antequera, which every year offers the possibility of attending the play free of charge. On this occasion, tickets have been sold out since 15 October for the performances scheduled for Friday 25 to Sunday 27 October in the town's church of San Juan de Dios (Calle Infante Don Fernando).

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This is another event whose original date is being brought forward. It used to be held on 1 November, but since it was revived it has been decided to celebrate it a few days earlier. It now falls on the last Saturday of the month of October, before the clocks change, when the village locals of Salares and visitors alike can take part in this unique festival of terror and fun. The origin of the name of the festival is not known with any certainty, but it is known that, in the past, it consisted of children going door to door to ask, not for sweets as in trick-or-treat, but for seasonal fruits: pomegranates, quinces, chestnuts or sweet potatoes. This is when it is said that in Salares the children would set out to ask for the Santo Mortero (literally the 'holy mortar'). Nowadays, in this tiny village, the little ones continue to beg in the streets and, when the sun has set, both they and the grown-ups will gather at the doors to the village hall to listen to scary stories.

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In the capital of the Axarquia there is no fiesta per se, but there is an organised activity that maintains the tradition of telling scary stories on the night of 31 October. It involves a walk through the historic centre of Vélez-Málaga. This proposal, organised by the Casa de las Titas apartments, is a guided, dramatised visit, in which different historical characters will take part alongside a few ghosts. This excursion, which lasts approximately two hours, will start on Thursday 31st October at 11pm. From the courtyard to these tourist apartments, participants will follow a planned route through the centre of Vélez. The price of this activity is 15 euros for adults and 6 euros for children. More information and bookings on 952 502 061.

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On the eve of All Souls' day, the village of Casabermeja celebrates every year a very peculiar tradition in one of the most iconic locations there, the cemetery of San Sebastián. From 7pm onwards you can join a guided tour of the cemetery, with the only illumination being the fires lit by torches and candles. There will also be the now customary reading of 'Verses to bury the summer' next to the chapel of San Sebastián, which is located within the cemetery grounds. These activities are part of Casabermeja's round of cultural events for autumn.

In addition to these traditions, on the evening of 31st October many villages and towns across Malaga will celebrate their own "tostones", the roasting of chestnuts. This will be the case in villages such as Jimera de Líbar, Alpandeire and Igualeja, among others. There will also be municipalities where a tostón will take place later on.