Folklore and tradition in La Cuesta de Gos

The party, that was celebrated on Christmas Day, started with a fond homily in the local chapel

Moments of the popular party.

Folklore and popular tradition had an appointment in the party that was celebrated on Christmas Day in Cuesta de Gos. This celebration has been performed, uninterrupted, for more than thirty years in this district of Aguilas.
Mass was celebrated at half past one in the chapel of La Cuesta de Gos, that, by the way, has had for the past three years a statue that pays tribute to someone who had and has roots in this mining area: Francisco Rabal.

After the homily and the bidding for the honour of carrying the Banner and the Throne, the religious procession of la Virgen del Carmen (Our Lady of Carmen), took place for some twenty minutes and they covered a small area around the chapel.

During the afternoon, a party was celebrated in the canteen-bar of La Cuesta de Gos. The room was filled to overflowing. The first afternoon´s activity was the Ribbon Race. Afterwards, we were all invited to see the traditional dances and also to enjoy Christmas songs thanks to the Cuadrilla of La Cuesta de Gos. (A Cuadrilla is normally, a non profesional group of friends that sing and dance folklore). Everyone present also enjoyed raffels, bidding of homemade products, improvised Flamenco singers, and those who were not there, were remembered.

We must remember that this type of popular parties take place in almost all districts in a similar way since these are precisely the areas where tradition and local folklore are still kept alive. Not only that, we must not forget that this survivial of atavistic folklore is not only our elder´s patrimony, there are many young people that participate in an active way in these celebrations.

A good example of all this is the recent formation, not too many years ago, of the Cuadrilla de la Marina de Cope, integrated by young women and men. They have always declared that their aim is to “maintain alive tradition”.