The Sant Joan Festivities In Menorca: Tradition Around The Horse
Horses are the stars of Menorcan popular festivals. All populations have their respective festivities that include these spectacular animals. On this occasion, we are going to talk about one of the most emblematic festivals in Menorca: the Sant Joan festivities in Ciutadella.
Sant Joan de Ciutadella: a centuries-old tradition
The Sant Joan de Ciutadella festival has been celebrated for hundreds of years. Its origin dates back to the beginning of the 14th century. In fact, the tradition has remained intact over time.
The act consists of the displacement of the saint to a rural hermitage, Sant Joan de Missa, to honor the patron. What stands out about this festival is the horse group : the qualcada . Of course, not all riders have the same role or the same rank, as we will see below.
Who forms the retinue on horseback?
If you go to the party, it is good to know something about her. Since the event revolves around the retinue on horseback, it is useful to know more or less how it is organized. The entourage is made up mainly of two types of horsemen: cavallers and caxiers .
The difference between these two riders is the social position. Or, at least, that was the way it was at the origins of the tradition, hundreds of years ago. The bulk of the parade is made up of cavallers, who are riders of all ages. At the origin of the festivities, they were peasants (peasants).
On the other hand, there are the caixers, who are less numerous and represent four social classes : church, nobility, artisans and peasants. These collectives are the ones that formed the class structure of the Middle Ages.
There are different caixers :
- Caixer Senyor: representative of the nobility.
- Caixer Capellà: representative of the church.
- Caixer Casat: representative of artisans. He must be married and master a manual trade.
- Caixer Fadrí: must be an apprentice craftsman, but single.
- Caixers Pagesos: representatives of the peasants.
The rest of the riders participating in the party are, as we have said, the cavallers . And, in front of them, the municipal sheriff guides the qualcada to the sound of the drum and the fabiol.
The most important days of the festival: June 23 and 24
The Sant Joan de Ciutadella festivities include acts and events that are spread over a week. Even so, the most important days are June 23 and 24, the day of Sant Joan. Here is a summary of the most important events, so you can get an idea.
Vetlla des Be and Día des Be
The first of the acts, Vetlla des Be, takes place on the Saturday before Sant Joan’s day. It consists of watching over a lamb throughout the night. The animal, which is thoroughly prepared for the holidays, stands out for its whiteness.
Día des Be is the following day, the Sunday before Sant Joan and constitutes the start of the festivities. In this event, you can see the Homo des Be (representing Sant Joan) walking barefoot through the streets of Ciutadella with the lamb on his shoulder.
June 23, the eve of Sant Joan
At this time, Ciutadella is full of tourists and visitors. The first of the events that takes place is one of the most impressive. It is the Caragol des Born. It is when the horses circle the Plaça des Born to the rhythm of the music. It is one of the most impressive moments of all parties. You can not lose this!
June 24, Sant Joan
On this day, the most important events take place on the Es Pla promenade. In the afternoon, Els Jocs des Pla begins, the funniest acts of all parties.
On one side are the Carotades, where two horsemen ride in parallel. One of them is holding a mask that the other has to try to break with a stone.
On the other, there is the Joc de la Ensortilla. In this game, the horsemen ride from one side of Es Pla to the other at a gallop with a spear in hand. Its objective is to hit with the spear a ring of a few centimeters in diameter hanging from a cable.
The Sant Joan de Ciutadella festivities are one of the most emblematic in all of Menorca. Do not miss it!
Main Photography: Roger Green / Flickr.com
