Miguel Martínez Sempere. Official Chronicler Festival
Any artistic expression such as celebration, the theatre, the music, dance, literature, architecture, sculpture and other arts, with pure nature-the living flora and fauna-, provides messages that make us feel the materialization of the spirit. Whether what is seen, as what is experienced, and provides valuable testimony proves poetically deep a meaning that embraces the grandeur of life.
Our Moors and Christians are an inexhaustible source of poetry. From its roots that link the hopes and •, beliefs and hopes of our elders twenty-five April -even through the intimate moments of each fester-, to the centuries-old stones of the castle or in our chapels. Since coexistence and social and human treatment that exists within the groups throughout the year in enthusiasm, and • the enthusiasm and commitment of all the people in the great days: the smile of the child, the memories of the elderly, longing for the absent, integration and hug. The enormous importance that music has on concerts, or street. The word embassies and homilies. The cheerful sound of the bells. The strong blast of rockets, fireworks or thunder of harquebuses. From the flowers of spring swallows who visit us every year. Everything is a continuous poem that has a dense and deep sense.
this is, so, we live each year on the feast of Moors and Christians Mariola. We do grow marched to the beat of lively pasodoble or cadence marches blackberries.
Vulguera compare, at least a hypothetical, the Moors and Christians with fantastic vision of a kaleidoscope, That small tube through three mirrors that form a triangular prism that shows fantastic images and our Volunia, symmetrically, turning the tube, create thousands of figures equipped with lights and colors and makes us imagine a world of fantasy.
When the approach we fill out our kaleidoscope of feelings, d’il•lusió, brotherhood, entertaining and euphoria. But responsibility also a historical legacy inherited and maintained for centuries. On the religious beliefs that are central to St. George. Experiences and memories even lead to a spiritual communication with those who have preceded us. Many of them feel in our genes, in own blood. And other through the memories, still dormant, the experiences shared recently. It is in memory where relive with love and nostalgia.
On the occasion of the conference and the study of the region Moors Balls, in a panel discussion moderated by Raul Sanchis, was cultured and give a festive, colorista i musical, those peoples around the world, especially American people, maintain the richness of the Moors and Christians.
the idiosyncrasy, habitat, culture and needs of some people who have allowed, the fact of implementing the Moors and Christians has been changed or lost customs and traditions. Have failed to build on them and have come to give the people a fun and different foreign, more attractive for its color, for its music and its gastronomy. All with the intention to attract tourism and create wealth. This is partly an understanding attitude, but in our case.
Mariola has a culture that kept the torch lit festive all year. This implies coexistence and communication breaks down social barriers and unites us in a big family, when its components work and participate in a common project. We maintain a permanent democratic attitude, without written rules and without coercion. preserve, so, clean and shiny mirrors of our kaleidoscope.
With this I do not belittle people and no less those who are pioneers in the Moors and Christians in the east side. Moreover, those who admire throughout the country and internationally remain intact culture and romance of music in all its purity.
In order to expand the value of our traditions Moors and Christians and as a result of the Congress of Moors and Christians held in Villena, was born the UNDEF. It is important to be part of everything that we can benefit. We find insurance festive, the use of gunpowder, la SGAE, contact and fellowship with other people. Also being able to communicate ideas while nurturing each other, open ourselves to others and to publicize our particular way of living the party.
I ara, after some festive touches to the table today, try to explain what they judge interesting for Mariola. Expose, like this, communication that I presented at the IV International Congress and I Moors and Christians onganitzat by UNDEF and held at the University of Alicante 10 al 12 June 2016. Consider that we are not valued in the world fester, we have not been treated well by those who claim to be their historians. Our parties deserve more and I think they should know each Bañeres and vindicated fight for their antiquity and purity.
SAINT GEORGE AND THE MOORS AND CHRISTIANS IN Banyeres de Mariola
Sin duda some Mariola is, the world party, one of the oldest villages in the slope of the Moors and Christians in the former Kingdom of Valencia, Today Valencia. However, Some historians have always treated superficially, with testimonies based on erroneous assumptions and without consulting any factual documentation to testify.
There are numerous testimonial evidence showing its age and its link always the same pattern. These tests try to capture them with the fewest words possible.
Other towns changed and adapted their festivities in honor of the patron saint differently, well received benefits or devotionals different aspects and economic interests.
San Jorge is Banyeres pattern since nearly eight centuries. Particularly when the 13 October 1243 Jaime I grants the senyorío the castle and town Jofre de Loaysa, Na guardian of the infant and his wife Violant Jacometa.
With the advent of the new Christian settlers, Jaime King ordered to build a temple in the castle grounds. This would be dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St. George, saint by the monarch had a special devotion, what he recorded along the recently captured Reyno of Valencia. Our parish is one of the 34 first to be founded in the Reyno. In synods convened in Valencia by Bishop Fray Andrés de Albalat year 1252 and others, and Figure assistant pastor of Banyeres.1
During the sixteenth century Banyeres received several visits of the Archbishop and Viceroy of Valencia, Juan de Ribera, who grants special benefits to the Chapel of Conjurador
dedicated to St. George. This chapel was located, in the same way that the parish, within the walls of the castle.
bathtubs, mid-sixteenth century, It was provided with weapons against the threat of invasion by the Turks Levante Spanish. Were created, well, called the somatenes, lenguaje Valencian means that we are vigilant; weapons used throughout history by the soldiery and San Jorge accompanying their processions.
Within this historical context, no actual clashes, probably longing for what the Iberian Peninsula could have been if it had continued coexistence of cultures and religions, born our Moors and Christians. Born with fraternal and festive spirit and taxed the Patron Saint, testimony of devotion and thanksgiving.
The festivities were designed and structured by the common people. the groups and factions were distributed according to the activity they belonged to different unions urged agriculture, trade and industry born thanks to the richness of the waters of the Vinalopó (textiles, stationer, Commerce, agricultural, etc). The latter have belonged over the years comparsa components of Christians.
If we base our party with three pillars: historical, religious and playful, to study each, and more specifically religious, we must relate to the remaining two.
Photography 1: X Digital Photo Contest. Author: Paco Sempere Faus, 2017.
Demonstrated and devotion to St. George as unique and primitive pattern, We released the following reflection: from the point of view of history it is not our case that devotion to San Jorge is due to the exploitation and domination of the laity (nobility) or ecclesiastical (clergy) on subjects (farmers). in Bathtubs, where the corresponding tithe taxed, You could not qualify their farmers "famished" 2, since the land was always a smallholding and cultured as family supplement. In addition it enjoyed the salary of industrial character. And it testified saying Cavanilles:
"Reyno yield to none of the application to work, joining this virtue of the economy, why people have banished the misery… Our parties are born of the people and for the people, as there is evidence that both the former and present temple were built with the physical and economic collaboration of the whole neighborhood. For this, the factory was established Church, paper mill with the collaboration of the population produced the corresponding revenue ".
The Moors and Christians in Banyeres were, and they are, featuring simple people, for people with a humble and steadfast in his beliefs. Why you can qualify them popular.
And following in the historical and religious aspect, accounts of the Feast of St. George of the year are known 1747, which amounted to six pounds, as it stated in Madrid, in the National Historical Archive. In 1780 It is received the reliquary of St. George by triggers Moors and Christians, issued and authenticated in Rome by Bishop Marcuci, asistente the Pontifical Solio. In 1786 again it granted the right to make arcabucería guerrillas within the population, which it had been suppressed by the Pragmatic of Carlos III. In 1792 The botanist Jose Cavanilles, He describes in his notebook prior to the publication of their comments on the Reyno de Valencia, as to move the 23 April from Onil and Biar to go through
bathtubs: Banyeres were doing on that day of the feast of St. George, who continued the next day with a roar of tyros and attacks; Representing the capture of the castle by the Moors and the dam did after the Christianos.3
They could share many more facts and dates, but we stayed with the ratification of the Relics of St. George and the testimony of Cavanilles, who describes the parties with the same current structure. What better notaries that the Vatican and the Botanic Cavanilles?
Therefore it is completely wrong the theory that our parties and embassies texts are the result of the War of Independence (1808).4
Following religion, without abandoning the historical aspects and entertainment, some features of the history texts embassies and dispossession appear, o Relationship to San Jose. Embassies that are recited in the same part of the original castle as possibly took place in those years when we visited Cavanilles. Later a wooden castle was installed, until the year 1969 the scene where the actual events took place recovered. (Banyeres is the first town to hold them back in their original castle and today there are several people who fortunately are doing).
Recently they have recovered two manuscripts of texts written for Banyeres embassies. One of 1853 and other 1869. In both he appears as main figure San Jorge. The curiosity is that the text of 1853 Bocairent adopted it in the year 1860, eight years después5, replacing the figure of San Jorge by Santiago. Bocairent still represents the same text without variation, while a second text adapted Banyeres, in 1869, and the current in the late nineteenth century (edited 1890 by Pastor printing Alcoy) 6. Bocairent text is shown to be the same Banyeres de 1853. Y, by the way, Appoints Santiago and not San Blas. This analysis is done by Adolf Salvà i Ballester in the Bosqueig with the following words: The first part, or be involved in the embassy delinquent sentinel Christian, Ambassador Christian and Moor, and the people. And fourth quartets are metric, Essent and to 237 v. Christian involved in sentinel and Ambassador Christian and Moorish ambassador, with the same metric, i 290v.7
Photography 2: X Digital Photo Contest. Author: Jorge Molina Domenech, 2017.
these texts, next to Despojo, which we discussed below, Banyeres attest to the faith of St. George and the birth and conservation in its Moors and Christians.
Dispossession is a religious reflection off the defeat of Muslim troops, Ambassador always carried out under the culture and customs of Islam. It is through this reflection when he accepts the doctrine of Christians. Ambassador asks "What is this holy prophet?”. Jesus Christ, according to their beliefs, It is not God but his envoy (Quran verses 3rd chapter 50 al 58). Reflection still torn between doubts until the voice of an angel says "the law of God is good". Angels are also recognized by the Qur'an (chapter 35 verse 1). Already convinced the ambassador hailed the Virgin Mary as "Lady and our Mother". The Qur'an in Chapter 3, verses 40 al 45, Mary says "Ho Maria! Dios te glad tidings of a Word, emanating from the, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary ". Already convinced ends by saying "come and holy water, because I want to wash my dirty head José ". Joseph is the husband of Mary and therefore the householder. Let us not forget that the culture of Islam gives center stage to the man, who was asked to wash his dirty head referring to the ablutions forcing their religion. So it is more than justified the presence of San Jose in the conversion, also known Banyeres, since ever, Dispossession or relationship as San Jose.
Is misplaced say that Joseph was "Joseph Bonaparte", for that of the War of Independence. It demonstrates, as it has been done, Cavanilles describes it as parties Banyeres sixteen years before that war, with which some relate our festivals-.8
We affirm that our parties have been treated superficially by some scholars, probably due to lack of documentation, although we assume that with goodwill. We cite as an example Adolf SalvÃ, who in his Treatise on the Bosqueig, so valued by all, He says we celebrate the festival of Moors and Christians in honor of Santa Maria Magdalena during the month of julio9. Ignore, in this way, which is the fair, also great antiquity, in honor of the patron Baths. It is added in the same work and author who copied the dispossession of Banyeres Bocairent, when it is shown that it is celebrated in Banyeres long before. Proof of this, Pastor Juan Bautista Valdés, son of the poet-author of current Banyeres embassies, states that: "Despite my research I could not find the embassies of the 1st and 2nd days and even signs of" Dispossession "which is represented in this population, and that the poet considered should remain "untouched" instead, in its pristine form and content for its traditional value ".10
And I concluded by recalling that in addition to the Masses, procession and transfer of San Jorge, Banyeres de Mariola has a single act declared of local interest and in the process to be declared BIC. It is the act of cemetery, in that through the powder, music and the Eucharist, festeros, musicians and countrymen, they communicate with whom we bequeathed, already in the XIII century, Faith in San Jorge and today remains and witnesses through the current Moors and Christians.
This was my communication to the congress of the UNDEF.
Our parish was always independent, even in the time that lasted the sale of the village Bocairent. This restrains him King John II in a document 22 February 1466.
The old church was already an altar to St. George and a relic. In addition there was the chapel of conjurer, which was dedicated to our patron. And the blessing of the new church, the 1752, we can see that it put headlines the Virgin of Mercy and Saint George.
All this forces us to affirm that the devotion to Our Patron, the current soldiers and Moors and Christians have always held under the patronage of St. George the Martyr, which gives seal of antiquity and supports us as one of the first towns that celebrate.
About dispossession, know their age. I can only say that my grandfather already represented in the nineteenth century.
Everything I've said has been studied in the literature mentioned.
The sole purpose is to encourage scholars and partygoers to recover and maintain our history with its values., of which we should be very proud.
FOOTNOTES PAGE:
1 Good Source Cultural Association, Local Studies Center. BELDA MARTINEZ, Antonio and others.
Parish Church of Mariola 4 p. 23
2 DOMENE VERDU Jose Fernando. "Chronicle of the Holidays of 1995", bulletin No. 267 Day Four that was the Central Board of Moors and Christians Festivals Villena 1995 p. 2
3 Miguel MARTINEZ SEMPERE. The Moors and Christians from its beginnings.
Miguel Martínez Sempere, Banyeres de Mariola. 2014. Cover with parchment explanations inside.
4 DOMENE VERDU Jose Fernando. "From Embassies and Ambassadors". UNDEF 1998 p. 35. and GONZALEZ HERNANDEZ Miguel Ángel. "The Festival of Moors and Christians". (Interview with E. Llobregat Conesa: "The historical spirit that the party reveals today does not exceed the
two hundred years"…, 1985 UNDEF Bulletin interview ” 1996 p.15
5 Vano SILVESTRE Francisco. Bocairente Holidays to San Blas Bishop and Martyr. Ilmo Ayuntamiento de Bocairent and others. 1982 p. 78
6 SEMPERE MARTÍNEZ Miguel. The Moors and Christians from its beginnings.
Miguel Martínez Sempere, Banyeres de Mariola. 2014 p. 207
7 SAVE AND Adolf BALLESTER. Historical and Bibliographic Sketch of the Moors and Christians festivities. Studies Institute Alicantinos. 1958.
8 DOMENE VERDU Jose Fernando. Embassies and Ambassadors. UNDEF 1998 p. 35
9 Sage and Adolf BALLESTER. Historical and Bibliographic Sketch of the Moors and Christians festivities. Studies Institute Alicantinos. 1958.
10 DOMENE VERDU Jose Fernando. "From Embassies and Ambassadors". UNDEF p.63 (Letter D personnel. Juan Bautista Pastor to Miguel
Sempere Martínez) (The original is in the family file Martínez Sempere).
