The Moors and Christians of Villajoyosa
Where History meets Carnival in a theatrical display of costumes and re-enactments
On the banks of the Mediterranean Sea, with backdrops of palm trees, coloured house fronts, and a rising sun, the cacophony of cannon fire, airborne rocket fireworks, and gunpowder explosions signals the arrival of dozens of Moorish ships. This dramatic landing is met by the awaiting Christians on the beach who have come prepared with cannons and muskets, determined to protect their town.
The fiestas of the Moors and Christians go back 500 years to when a war-weary and newly formed Spain was discovering its national identity. After 7 long centuries of Muslim occupation and the constant ebb and flow of Christian borders on the peninsula, the Moors’ final bastion, Granada, fell to the Christian monarchs, Isabel and Ferdinand in 1492.
In celebration, many towns and villages began to hold re-enactments of the victories against the Moors, Turks and Barbary pirates. These were encouraged by the kings Felipe 2 and 3 of the 15th and 16th centuries who were more than happy to propagate the glories of the Spanish Empire. And today, the same national pride runs through the festivals as the townsfolk recreate the historic events that determined their country’s destiny.
Many of those re-enactments occur in the Valencian region but are also found in other places around Spain, such as Andalusia. One of the most famous is held in Villajoyosa, in the province of Alicante, between the 24th and 31st of July. It commemorates the events that took place in 1538 when Barbary pirates attacked the small town, but with the divine help of Santa Marta, their patron saint, the Christians were victorious.
The procession on the first evening is an impressive start to the festivities with hundreds of locals dressed as Christians and Moors. They make their way slowly along the streets on foot, on horseback or camel, wielding spears, swords, cutlasses or sabres, even pitchforks. The costume designers outdo themselves every year with the extravagant outfits of the sumptuously turbaned Moors and the stunning women draped in face veils, bracelets and richly brocaded scarves. From African warriors to Arabian sheiks, the feathers, beads, and embroidered fabric are clearly not bought from the costume section on Amazon.
The Christians come dressed as Templar knights on horses, as nobles, priests, common peasants, kings, and queens. All are accompanied by floats, flags, and bands playing drums, trumpets, and other instruments.
In the early hours of the 28th July, the naval battle turns into a beach battle as the Moors try to take the mock castle that has been set up on the beach, and the Christians try to drive them back into the sea. Swords and sabres of the flexible kind (these probably bought from the costume section of Amazon) clash half-heartedly, and the merry warriors fight it out until finally the victorious Moors take the castle.
The next day the Christian king and his loyal subjects come to retake the castle with long speeches that reference the essence of the historical events, with verbal attacks and rebuttals from the Moorish emir who shouts from the ramparts. Another battle begins and a battering ram breaks through the castle entrance, ending this time with the Christians victorious.
Flags are raised and a triumphant king and queen parade through the streets, followed by a handful of shackled Moors. There is Mass and homage paid to the patron saint for her intervention, and the week long fiesta continues with concerts, paella competitions, children’s parades, and firework displays.
Spaniards love re-enactments and have never let historical accuracy get in the way of a good story. However, the Moors and Christians festivals are not without controversy. Some find the theatrics disrespectful to the Muslim community. It is not uncommon to still see the participants in blackface, though they assure us it has less to do with history and more about celebrating their town and enjoying a fiesta.
The protests seem to come predominantly from the white community. According to local Muslim leaders, the festival does not cause offense and there are many Muslims who take part in the parades. But the jury’s still out on that one. Many feel that Spain’s dubious interpretations of their history when it comes to the Reconquista need to be re-evaluated.
Whether the festivals are a celebration of the conquest of Christians over infidels, a recognition of the role Valencia played during the reconquest, a homage to patron saints and divine intervention, or simply an excuse for grown men and women to play Cowboys and Indians, there is no doubt that the Moors and Christians festivals continue to draw hundreds of thousands of spectators every year who come to enjoy the show.