The piece of the month of June 2025

THE FLAG OF LESAKA

Egoitz Telletxea Etxepare
Professor

The first documentary reference letter to the coat of arms of the town of Lesaka dates from the year 1373, being the oldest heraldic testimony the one that appears represented in its municipal seal. In the center of this emblem is the figure of an animal, presumably a wolf, which has led some heraldists to establish a possible link with the influential Alzate family. This primitive coat of arms is surrounded by a succession of small squares that make up what is known as a composite border, which presents a peculiar alternation: a whole square is followed by another divided into two halves. Around the seal the incomplete registration is preserved: "SI...............CEIO DE LA UILLA DE LESA(CA)", whose more accepted reading is "Sello del Concejo de la Villa de Lesaca". They are considered to be arms of recent creation, since the population center was consolidated during the 14th century.

Two centuries later, in 1572, a new version of the coat of arms is documented in the Book of Armory of the Kingdom of Navarre. In this source, the coat of arms appears as representative of the Cinco Villas, including Lesaka. It is an evolution of the previous coat of arms, now quartered. In the first and fourth quarters, on a silver background, there are downed arrowheads in sable (black); in the second and third quarters, on a gold field, there are two wolves in sable arranged in a club. The whole is surrounded by an angled border composed of gules (red) and azure (blue). The shield is accompanied by the motto "discussion de las Cinco Villas", an expression that has been a source discussion. This heraldic version is the one that appears in the parish of the locality and remained in use until the end of the 19th century, although by then new arms had already been adopted.

The coat of arms currently in use by the Villa de Lesaka is documented in an Ejecutoria on the coat of arms and arms of the Villa de Lesaka dated 1735, where important modifications are established with respect to previous versions. The first quarter conserves elements of the old coat of arms, reducing the issue of wolves to two, eliminating the borders and placing the arrows in ascending position. The second quarter presents a blue cross on clouds on a silver field, symbol of a supposed celestial apparition during a battle against the infidels in the year 724. The third quarter reproduces the arms of the Kingdom of Navarre in allusion to the participation of the neighbors of the valley in the battle of Navas de Tolosa. The fourth quarter sample a green oak between two golden abarcas with red cords, representing the strength and providence of the town, as well as a possible relationship with King Sancho Garcés II, "Abarca". The coat of arms is stamped with a closed royal crown. This coat of arms currently appears on the official flag of the municipality and is shared by the five towns of the Bortziriak valley.

The flag of Lesaka maintains a close relationship with the local militias that, due to the proximity of the border, were historically in charge of the defense of the territory and that sporadically participated in military displays. The 1735 execution itself testifies that, since ancient times, the mayors of the Cinco Villas have held the "Privilege and Royalty of being Captains at War, the Aldermen Ensigns with Flag, and the modern Aldermen Sergeants".

These militias were entitled to carry their own banner, usually adopting as their model the flags of the Spanish Tercios, characterized by the cross of St. Andrew in red on a white background. Over time, local variations developed from this basic design , which explains the diversity of flags of this subject preserved in the Navarrese Pyrenees.

The ensign of Lesaka presents a large red cross in a cross of St. Andrew, in the center of which is embroidered the coat of arms of the town. This cross is framed by a border composed of squares of different colors arranged in the following order: yellow, blue, yellow, yellow, red, yellow, blue, blue, red, yellow, blue and yellow. Framed by this border and placed between the red blades, there are triangles projecting from the border to the center of the flag, alternating white, blue, yellow and white, except on the side of the flagpole, where the sequence is white, yellow, blue and white. It should be noted that it is very difficult to determine with precision the original colors of the flag, since the passage of time and wear have caused a B The current shades present a high Degree of confusion.

Tradition dictates that the flag of Lesaka bows only to God and to the people. In keeping with this principle, each of the three times the flag leaves the Town Hall it does so by descending from the outside of the building, passing from balcony to balcony, from the plenary hall to the public road, in order to avoid bowing when crossing the threshold of any door. The same procedure, in reverse, is carried out for his return to the Town Hall.

The three annual departures of the ensign to the streets of the municipality take place on the occasion of the feast of Corpus Christi, its octave and on July 7.

IMAGE 1: Corpus Christi Day. Years 50. At that time the dantzaris also procession that day. file Municipal de Lesaka.

The celebration of Corpus Christi was once one of the most solemn festivities in Lesaka (Image 1). Although nowadays it lacks the splendor of past times, the streets of the town continue to be decorated for the passing of the Blessed Sacrament. The standard-bearer, together with the halberdier -who carries a weapon bearing the registration Me hizo Sebastian, year 1681-and the rest of the municipal corporation, await the lowering of the flag. Accompanied by the Band of Music, they then go to the parish of San Martín.

IMAGE 2: Score of the Banderarbola. Transcription: Egoitz Telletxea Etxepare

Once the mass is over, the flag waits for the Blessed Sacrament at the door of the temple. After a bow as a sign of respect, the flag bearer begins the ritual dance of the ensign to the rhythm of the Banderarbola(Bandera arbolatu, arboltu, "to raise the flag") (Image 2), performed by the txistularis. During this ceremony, the flag is raised over the head of the bearer, who turns it three times to the left, then three times to the right and finally three times to the left, always keeping it parallel to the ground and never allowing the cloth to touch the ground.

After the ritual dance, the standard bearer and the halberdier lead the march of the Blessed Sacrament, starting the procession that, after crossing part of the town, ends at the parish church.

During the entire pathway, the Santísimo is carried on the ehuna, a piece of linen that is spread on the ground by the neighbors whose houses are located along the processional route. Once inside the temple, the flag and the halberd remain exposed on the Gospel side until the celebration of the octave.

On the feast of the Octave of Corpus Christi, coinciding with the solemnity of the Sacred Heart -traditionally known in the town as Erramutxi or Arramutsa-, the municipal corporation attends the mass, accompanied by the txistularis. Concluded the Eucharist, the standard-bearer recovers the ensign and, located in the center of the Wayside Cross, in front of the tabernacle, he returns to execute the dance of the pavilion to the compass of the already mentioned Banderarbola. After the ceremonial act, the procession descends to the Town Hall, where the flag is hoisted from the outside of the facade of the building. Once this operation is concluded, the members of the corporation throw candies and coins from the balcony of the plenary hall as a culmination of the workshop.

IMAGE 3: Councilman Pello Apezteguía dancing the flag before San Fermín. 2023. Alberto G. Dantzan.eus

On July 7, the flag of Lesaka occupies a central place in the festive acts in honor of San Fermin. After its solemn descent from the balcony of the town hall, the ezpatadantzaris pay homage, starting the procession to the church, accompanied by the municipal band and txistularis. Along the way, the dantzaris perform the makil-gurutze dantza, forming an arch of honor at the entrance the temple. The flag remains in the portico during the mass and, at the end, it is waved in front of the image of the saint (Image 3). Afterwards, the Aintzinesku salutes with three jumps and the dance is resumed, this time with txistularis, accompanying the procession.

IMAGE 4: Councilman Antonio Echeveste dancing the flag on the river Onin. July 7, 1927. Municipal file of Lesaka.

During the tour, in two core topic points place Zaharra and Albistur street- the ziarkakoa dance is performed. At the end, the corporation returns to Eskol-ttiki, while the flag remains in the church, respecting the tradition that reservation it exclusive protagonism. There, the dantzaris perform the zubigainekoa on the parapets of the river Onin. Once the dance is over, the dantzaris return to the church to pick up the flag, and return with it to the bridge. Once its central place is recovered, the flag of the town is waved again by the flag-bearer councilman on the bridge to the sound of the Banderarbola ( Image 4). After this very emotional moment, it is taken to the place Zaharra, where it is danced for the last time before being hoisted and placed to preside over the festivities (Image5).

IMAGE 5: Last dance of the flag on July 7, 1960. file Municipal de Lesaka

The current ensign, dating from 1995, replaces a flag made in 1975 by the Carmelites of Lesaka, which, in turn, had replaced the previous one, dating from 1853.

Sources and bibliography

Municipal file of Lesaka (1735). Ejecutoria sobre el escudo y armas de la Villa de Lesaka [Manuscript, call number Lib-13]. file Municipal de Lesaka.
Donostia, P., Complete works of Father Donostia. Vol. IX: Basque Songbook. IV Danzas. bibliography. Indexes (J. de Riezu, Ed., pp. 2031-2033). Donostia-San Sebastián, 1994.
Esparza Leibar, A., "The coat of arms of Bortziriak", Hidalguía: The magazine of genealogy, nobility and arms, no. 272 (1999), pp49-72.
Esparza Leibar, A., "Aproximación a la heráldica de las entidades locales de Navarra", Cuadernos de Etnología y Etnografía de Navarra, no. 77 (2002), 23-24.
Rodríguez Peñas, T., "Flags of the Roncal Valley". Banderas: bulletin de la Sociedad Española de Vexilología, no. 122, (2012) pp. 47-64.
Zabalza-Seguín, A. (Dir.) Piedra, hierro y papel: Trayectoria histórica de la villa de Lesaka. City Council of Lesaka, 2016