Well, to know What is a foliada and where is it celebrated? We have to talk about Galiciana, a wonderful land if there ever was one. This autonomous community of historical nationality is located in the northwest of Spain.
Galicia is made up of Lugo, Ourense, Pontevedra and La CoruñaIt is here, in their villages, that popular festivals called foliadas are celebrated. Let's find out more about them.
The Galician Foliadas
The foliated ones They are a popular festival in which traditional Galician music and dances become protagonists.In all the towns of Galicia there are foliadas, in the afternoon or at night, and to this day they represent the identity of this town.
We could say that the foliated ones are a Classical Galician folk festival that, as everywhere, They are born associated with communal work in the field, characteristic of the era before the Industrial Revolution.
People in villages and towns came together to carry out collective tasks that were impossible to do independently. These societies were true communities where people lived both for themselves and for their neighbours, because everyone needed everyone else.
And then, in the foliated ones, we worked but The meeting was also used to dance, sing, play and practice games, to socialize, find a partner, tell gossip. and else.
We already have it clear what is a foliada and where is it celebrated. Going into more detail, we also say that women are always the life of the party and this is no exception. Women played and still play their part today with singing and music with instruments such as shells, triangles, pandeiros or tambourines. Before there could be male bagpipers or accordionists, but it was not common because they were paid.
After the Industrial Revolution reached the countryside, the appearance of these fun and useful leaves changed, and Towards the beginning of the 20th century they lost their former function but continued to be held for socialising and having fun.. Many towns cleared corrals so that there could be a special place for the foliada and others directly built it.
In these foliates a had already been established a certain pattern that included timings and order of musical pieces which began with loose dances, which got the crowd into tune, and then the so-called "close dances" such as waltzes, rumba or mazurka.
Various events in the mid-twentieth century put the foliates in danger. While it is true that Franco banned them after the Civil War, it is also true that in the 60s, due to the poverty suffered in the fields, Many young people left their villages and went to live in the city.. The towns and villages were left without young people and that made the foliated ones practically disappeared.
Life is a boomerang and In the 80s Spain experienced a revival of love for traditional which made many young people remember the foliadas and, thus, to this day, the foliadas have returned with joy to be the soul of many Galician villages with a own circuit attracting locals and visitors.
We cannot forget, either, that The foliated ones also receive other names such as will (the foliations that take place when the sun sets), the trustor, related to villages that specialize in spinning thread or wool, the wheelYes, that's what they are called in La Coruña, polavilaYes, in Lugo, spadela, tavern or morada, for the festivals held around Toro at the beginning of the year.
Popular Foliates
One of the most popular foliates is the Foliated of Fonsagrada, which is celebrated Every year the first weekend of December since 2015. It is Galician culture in its purest form.
The Foliada of Fonsagrada includes music, dancing and singing and the big moment of the party is the Tavern Song ContestVarious folklore groups from all over Galicia and Asturias take part here, going from bar to bar in Fonsagrada with their music in tow, while bagpipes, tambourines and ailalelos can be heard in the streets.
But beyond the music, the truth is that this fun and popular festival also includes culture, crafts and lots of fun throughout the weekend. If you feel like it, you can always check the festival calendar so you don't miss anything.
Another popular foliate is that of Santiago de Compostela, a great cultural expression of this part of Spain where you will see the tambourine, the accordion, the triangle and, of course, the bagpipes shine. Santiago de Compostela is one of the best places to enjoy the foliadas and it is said that here popular culture is more present than in other Galician corners.
There are organized foliadas but there are also those of the others, the unexpected frolics that neighbors put together in the spirit of partying and having fun. If you are in Compostela then you should go to bars and taverns looking for a foliada that you like. A Cuetidoira, O Filandón, La Casa das Crechas, are some of the names that sound more to live a compostelan foliate. And in the cultural centers there are also foliadas, so you can go to the Auditorio de Galicia or the Fundación SGAE Galicia or, with luck, you can witness the Santiago Folk Festival.
But you know Summer is synonymous with foliage in Galician lands So, beyond the bars, taverns and cultural centres, the truth is that, as we said before, the neighbours here organise spontaneous foliadas in the streets and squares of the city, with groups of pipers and pandereteiros, so it's wonderful. Any special day? July 25th, which is the Day of the Apostle or also the Day of Galicia.
Is there anything else I should know about? What is a foliada and where is it celebrated?? Yes, the foliated ones They have their internal codes But the highest law, the one you should strictly respect, has to do with leave out the shame. You go to the foliada to have fun, not to have qualms, to dance, to chat, to meet new people and to be open-minded.
If you like it and know how to play an instrument, you can take it with you. You have to dance, whether you know how or not, that's why they are so much fun. Plus, there's a lot of wine to be drunk, so you have to be prepared for a bad hangover the next day.