AP PHOTOS: Beast-like 'Carantoñas' return to Spanish town
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.It's hours before dawn in Acehuche, a small town in Spain's western Extremadura region, and a group of youngsters is ending a parade by setting off fireworks and beating drums.
The noise awakes residents for some of the biggest dates in the local calendar: the three-day celebration of the fur-covered characters known as “Carantoñas" that resemble wild beasts.
With roots in pagan traditions of fertility that were incorporated into religious symbolism, the ancient festival currently marks Acehuche's patron, St. Sebastian, whom the Catholic tradition considers a martyr of the early anti-Christian Romans.
After the 2021 edition was canceled amid a strong surge in coronavirus cases, the festival went ahead in late January this year. It was held under strict mask-wearing rules due to record numbers of infections across Spain fueled by the highly contagious omicron variant.
Following the tradition, women dress up as “Regaoras” in colorful embroidered skirts and shawls, decorating intricate hairstyles with flowers, while a few dozen men gather in a garage to cover themselves in animal skins and fur to transform into “Carantoñas."
The handmade costumes can weigh more than 20 kilograms (44 pounds) and only male revelers above 16 are allowed to wear them.
On the second day of the celebration, as the image of St. Sebastian is carried in a procession over rosemary-covered pavements, the “Carantoñas” bow to the patron saint and the “Regaoras” cover the sculpture in confetti as traditional songs are sung and drums are played.
“All the songs we play we have been recovered by oral tradition,” said Jaime Garrido, one of the musicians. “Some are common songs in the region and others are specific to this festival.”
The procession takes the saint's figure to face a chosen member of the local brotherhood who thanks St. Sebastian for keeping the town safe and healthy one more year.
With the sculpture back inside the church, a new character emerges in the crowd outside: the “Vaca-Tora," a monstrous figure with enormous horns and an oversized loud cowbell that ushers away both beasts and revelers.