December 17, 2013

Conferences

CHRISTMAS IN THE ARTS

Uses and customs of Christmas in Navarre

D. Francisco Javier Zubiaur Carreño.
Chair of Navarrese Heritage and Art

The Christmas of traditional Navarre revolves, or revolved, around the dates of the Christian calendar, such as the cuestaciones of the "bishop" San Nicolás with his acolytes through the houses of the town, to then have a snack with the collected food. Another custom of the children was to call the attention of the Three Wise Men with cowbells so that they would not pass by the village. There were cuestaciones, in Guesálaz or Yerri for example, which were used by the boys to celebrate Christmas Eve while they "entered as young men", that is to say, they marked the transition to the "mocería", the youth. In addition to the cuestaciones, always accompanied by songs, certain rites were practiced with the healthy water of the New Year or with the trunk of the home (sukil), to which magical virtues were recognized. Certain characters have been maintained, with their peculiar folklore, such as Olentzero or the boy-king of the Faba. And if the former announces the good news of the birth of Jesus, the latter continues to reaffirm the protagonism of children in a Christmas season in which they are perhaps the most important. There have been stagings of the Nativity, with all the trappings and pomp, such as the one that was celebrated in the church of the Franciscans of Olite. Some of them are still in force at plenary session of the Executive Council , such as the Auto Sacramental de los Reyes Magos in Sangüesa. And, of course, Christmas was full of dinners and suppers, and of "estrenas", as they called in my town, San Martín de Unx, the gifts received for the Three Kings.

With the current de-Christianization, that atmosphere transformed by the celebration of the Birth of the Child Jesus has become "folklorized", losing much of its original essence, also influenced by the invasion of fashionable customs and a growing consumerism. Today's Christmas is lived in a different way, with enriched menus, under the colorfulness of decorative lights, and the illusion of reaching some award of the National Lottery. Christmas and new technologies have been associated, replacing the classic greetings by post.

However, the Navarrese society strives to maintain old traditions: the Three Kings parades, the Olentzero and the Mystery, the election of the King of the Faba, the representation of living nativity scenes, exhibitions of nativity scenes... and other forms of fundraising to help those most in need, such as food collections.

Christmas continues to be lived with enthusiasm and is seen as an opportunity to bring family ties closer, to practice solidarity with our fellow men and to contribute to build a more harmonious society, building a bridge of communication between the past and the present.

Celebration of St. Nicholas in Barásoain, December 6, 1993. The "obispilla" and her companions