ADAPT MONTHLY MEETING
04 MARCH 2017
PENSIONISTA LO PAGAN
Janet opened the meeting by welcoming everyone especially new members and visitors.
As promised the meeting had new microphones to improve the sound quality.
Carnaval.
Janet relayed that in last Sunday’s San Pedro Carnaval 23 members, with an average age of 65 and totaling 1,500 years, had been involved, our group being one of the two older groups taking part. The other, the San Pedro Pensionista group won third prize.
Los Pinos school animal welfare initiative.
During March, local San Pedro schools are working with local animal welfare charities to raise awareness of animal welfare with the children. Schools are then holding a street market in the Casa Cultura on 3rd, 4th, 5th of April the proceeds going to Patitas Unidas and ADAPT have been asked for volunteers on those days to work alongside the children. These will be 2 hour slots.
Please contact Janet if you would like to join in.
Thank you for the contributions brought to the meeting today.
Torrevieja International Costaleros
Janet introduced Bob Hills from the Torrevieja International Costaleros
who gave his talk with the intriguing title of “Big boys don't cry … do they?”
Bob went on to explain the history of the Semana Santa processions and his own personal journey of involvement in Torrevieja. He hoped he would inspire some members to come forward to join the International Costaleros, men and women, those with faith or none at all were equally welcome.
Bob outlined the various fiestas and traditions celebrated throughout the year in Spain with Semana Santa being the most important and celebrated from Palm Sunday until Easter Sunday. Floats or Pasos are paraded through the streets with each Paso depicting a different scene from the Easter story, carried by the Costaleros.
The origins of Semana Santa date back to the 13th century, some of the brotherhoods now known as Cofradias being formed at that time and membership then passing through generations of families. The concept of processions then dates from 1521 when the Marques de Tarifa instituted the via cruces or stations of the cross to which the Paso pass through. The stations represent the journey of Christ's journey to Calvary.
The final stage of development of the Semana Santa was in the 17th century when the brotherhoods evolved into groups similar to trade guilds and then today they often represent local associations or resident’s groups. These now also participate in fund raising for charities and to pay for the upkeep and improvements of the Paso.
The Torrevieja International Costaleros belongs to the Cofradia known as El Cofradia de Nuestro Señor Jesus en la Oracion el Heurto de los Olivos, or, The Cofradia of our Lord Jesus Praying in the Garden of Olives.
The Paso in Torrevieja is proudly carried shoulder high, thick cushions protecting the shoulders although Bob recounted that the privilege, honour, pride and excitement of taking part detracts from any pain. This year’s route has been altered to cut out some uphill streets.
Bob explained he had become a Costaleros after seeing the Easter procession in Torrevieja in 2005 and immediately wanted to be one of the 100 men dressed in green, black and gold doing the funny swaying walk and carrying the Paso. He felt this came not from any deep religious motives but from the magical wonderment of art, tradition, culture plus a heady mix of religion and fiesta.
Integration into the Spanish way of life was another prime motivation for him to get involved. Since 2008 Bob has been very much involved, his passion and wonderment undiminished.
At that stage, Bob introduced four colleagues who modelled costumes worn in the Torrevieja Semana Santa processions including the Nazarena usually worn by women, the hooded robes covering the face as part of the private nature of penitence. There is no link whatsoever with the Klu Klux Clan! The Nazarinas also have hidden under their robes between them 100 kilos of sweets to distribute to the children along the route.
Bob further described other traditions of the procession which make it spiritual and magical including the call from the captain, or capitaz, of the Paso “viva el huerto” to which the Costaleros respond “viva”. Bob then had the ADAPT audience energetically participating with this response throughout the rest of his talk. He continued to give a history of his Torrevieja Paso which with recent renovations now has a value of 150,000 euros.
Since 2004 this particular Paso has been carried and supported by a group of 100 international Costaleros which now has representatives from many countries, not only British but German, Australian, Greek and Russian. People with a vast array of backgrounds, beliefs and languages. It was the first time in Spain that non-Spanish and not wholly Catholic Costaleros had taken part and had been widely reported in the Spanish and international media. There were now non-Spanish participants in the Semana Santa procession in Pilar Horadada and other places.
Bob gave a very personal account of his experiences as a Costalero, ending on a moving account of an elderly grandmother making a very personal “gracias” to him and despite the need to maintain discipline and not react to the crowd, on that day, a big boy cried!
The Torrevieja International Costaleros continue to need new recruits and Bob hoped his talk would inspire members of the audience to sign up. Bob then took questions from the floor, further explaining that the different heights of the Costaleros was accommodated as the Paso bows in the middle so the shortest were placed there.
Janet thanked Bob for his very inspirational and passionate talk and shared that she was part of the Pilar Horadada Semana Santa procession with a British contingent leading which was an extreme honour.
The audience expressed its appreciation with warm applause.
Announcements.
The Advanced Walking group in March will be on 24th March, a change of date as Tim is away.
The Rambling group, led by Pauline Nicholl, will be on March 11th meeting at the Flamingo roundabout at 10am. The group will be making their way to the windmills and maybe a coffee in Lo Pagan.
The next lunch group will be at Lilly’s on March 23, a little later than usual, please contact Janet at if you wish to attend.
Janet then thanked everyone for attending.
Additional information.
Genealogy group
Due to dwindling membership Penny Walker has reluctantly decided to disband the group with immediate effect. Janet, on behalf of ADAPT would like to thank Penny for her past leadership of this group.
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