Carnival in Manzaneda
“Masks” and costumes, music, humour, irony and gastronomy are combined at the Carnival of Manzaneda.
Over the years, the celebration has maintained rites and characters due to the isolation of the area.
Its location has contributed to giving these festivities a unique and special character, incorporating small changes to ensure their continuity and which, in the exchange with other neighbors towns, promotes a sense of identity and belonging.
The Carnival of Manzaneda promises fun and tradition to all the people who venture to visit it.
Carnival in Manzaneda
Este celebración emana autenticidad. Posiblemente, gracias a su ubicación en una región montañosa que mantuvo al municipio de Manzaneda relativamente aislado y preservó la pureza de sus tradiciones.
El carnaval tradicional de Manzaneda es una festividad que mezcla rituales ancestrales con las danzas hipnóticas de las Mázcaras, los espectáculos de percusión de los folións, banquetes populares y teatro callejero. Todo ello en el medio de un ambiente divertido y burlesco.
La Mázcara es el personaje central de la fiesta. Con un enorme tocado en la cabeza, viste una camisa blanca, polainas con puntillas, mantilla floreada, bastón, botas altas y cintas de colores que se colocan y se retiran una a una cada año. En la cintura llevan varios cencerros , que sirven para marcar el ritmo. La Mázcara de Manzaneda destaca coma un hábil bailarín capaz de danzar sobre un pequeño cajón, girando de puntillas sin llegar a despegar nunca los pies del suelo, mientras el ancestral sonido del folión acompaña su danza.
Characters
The mask is the central character of Manzaneda's Entroido. Dancing and colorful figure that refers to the neighbors towns of Vilariño de Conso and Viana do Bolo.
The most significant thing about the mask is the outfit. This set includes white pants with lace and a white shirt decorated with colored ribbons that hang from the clothes and accompany the mask during the dances.
A small blanked with flower that covers one of the shoulders and is tied at the chest and the cowbells or corns at the waist completes the dress and adds color and rhythm. On their heads they wear a "pucho" or headdress, also colorful; despite their name, they usually do not cover their faces with masks or face shields. In their hands they carry a cane, also decorated with ribbons, which they use in their dances.
The masks integrate their characteristic dance into the “folion”, spinning to the rhythm of the instruments of this group of people and leading the procession. They usually dance in turns of two and in groups of about ten masks per leaf (folión). A spectacle to behold, which contributes to giving the Carnival in Manzaneda its unique character.
Within the masks, there is one that has its own entity. This is the ox (boi or touro). This one presents a different costume, formed by a wooden structure with horns, covered by a quilt, directed by a person who goes inside and accompanied, generally, by another mask disguised as a bullfighter.
The mission of this character is to accompany the “folión” to attack people, especially those who, as this procession passes, do not participate in the party.
This peculiar musical group is made up of a group of about thirty or forty people who play bass drums and drums, as well as farm instruments such as scythes or hoes, which they make sound to the rhythm of the procession; The bagpipe is also used, an instrument used by the shepherds of the area.
Compared to the “foliones” of other municipalities, the people of Manzaneda are accompanied by the masks that generally dance in groups of two. In addition, the bass drum is played using only a mallet.
The group is led by a person who acts as ambassador and director of the “folion”, since he is in charge of opening the way and requesting access to other locations, for which he usually introduces himself with a short text.
The “foliones” can be considered as a musical embassy between populations. Weeks before the official start of the Carnival, the towns of Manzaneda are toured during the night by different “foliones” passing through the houses and villages, sharing drinks and food.
The “foliadas” go hand in hand with the tradition of burlesque performances that accompanies Carnival in different regions around the world. It is a kind of street theater in which verses and discussions are exchanged, stories related to current affairs, whether local, national or international, in a satirical key.
In this celebration, a person is in charge of the work of narration or presentation, welcoming the audience, giving way to each piece and taking care of the farewell. These pieces are exhibitions in verse in which each person or group of participants makes humor based on topics of interest. The last part of the play is especially important, they say goodbye to the audience and ask for forgiveness in case someone has felt offended at any point during the performance.
The “foliates are accompanied by the “folions” and masks. At present, they can also include flour battles at closing.
Prior to the Carnival period itself, and following the tradition of other municipalities in Galicia, Manzaneda celebrates the “Thursday of Compadres and Comadres”.
The first, 16 days before the Saturday of Carnival, is the Thursday of Compadres, when traditionally the women of the village made and hung the “lardeiro”. This straw doll was dressed in the clothes of the men of the village, who tried to come down, facing their neighbors in flour battles.
Seven days later, it is the turn of the change of sexes: the “Thursday of Comadres” is celebrated, when it is the men who must prepare and hang the “lardeira” in front of the women, who are the ones who "attack" the men of the village armed with flour.
These traditions have been maintained with minor changes. The figures of “lardeiro” and “lardeira” continue to preside over the Carnival from their positions in the town until its closure.
Vídeos destacados
Entroido de Manzaneda
Calendary of activities 2024
January 25. “Thrusday of Compadres”
Two weeks before the official start of the Carnival in Manzaneda celebrates its “Thrusday of Compadres”. The women of the village dress and hang the “lardeiro” in a visible place in the town. The men try to get revenge in a flour battle in which any resident of the village can end up covered in this product... And so do the neighbors.
January 27. “Foliada da Mourela p aca”
The first of the “foliadas” of the carnival visits the town of Trabazos this year. The “Fuliada da Mourela p'acá”, organized by the villages of the area, takes place every Carnival in one of the localities. The masks of Trabazos welcome those of the other parishes, accompanied by their leaflets, to first walk the streets and then perform the representation of the “foliada”, with a satirical review of current affairs. A meal and a flour battle bring the occasion to a close.
February 1. “Thrusday of Comadres”
A week before the Carnival, the “Thursday of Comadres” takes place. On this occasion, it is the residents of Manzaneda who must dress the “lardeira” and place it in a location in the town, and then face reprisals from the women in the form of a flour war.
February 3. “Foliada de San Martiño”
The celebrations continue in the parishes of Manzaneda. On the afternoon of February 3rd, it is the turn of the “foliada” in San Martiño. From 4 p.m., folions and masks begin to tour the town in this musical exchange between neighboring villages.
From this day and in the following days, the leaf rounds will go through different villages of Manzaneda, inviting their inhabitants to join the brass band in the streets and sharing food and drink among visitors and locals.
February 13. Tuesday of Carnival
It is the big day of celebration in Manzaneda. The day begins at 11.30 a.m. with a parade of the folions of the municipality, which is also attended by folions from neighboring towns in an exchange that reinforces the social and identity character of the Carnival.
This celebration is followed by a popular lunch, where all the neighbors share dishes and drinks typical of the gastronomy of the area and, more specifically, of the time in which it is celebrated. Cooking and preparations in which pork is used, such as “androlla or butello”; sweets such as “bicas, filloas or orellas”; Wines and spirits are some of the items on a menu that reminds us that the season of excess is about to end to enter the sober Lent.