Falleando!

It`s heeeeeeere! Time for Falles! And I wanted to share a post about the history of one of the most beloved traditions in València. It might seem strange to the outsider, I understand, and I have been asked;

• What do the huge statues represent?
• Why do people work so hard on them if they're just going to be burned?
• What is that NOISE?!
• What do people wear/eat/do? 

So I`m happy to answer all these things! 

But first we need to go back to the beginning, when days are short and carpenters work by candlelight. 

From Feast to Fire

Every profession has a patron saint, and the patron saint of carpenters is Saint Joseph. His feast Day is the 19 March, and to prepare for this, the carpenters would take all of their old scraps and leftovers and burn them in a big bonfire. Since the days would be coming longer, they would also burn parots, which were the pieces of wood which held the candles. 

This served two purposes: cleaning out their workshops in preparation for the festival, and creating a fresh start with the spring coming. 

Ancestors of the Ninots

It did not take long until some clever carpenter decided to make a figure of their scraps. They would wrap the pardots in cloth and give them some features, maybe a face, arms, legs...

Those would become the ancestors of what are today known as ninots, the very large, detailed statues. The closest translation for ninots are "statue models". When the ninots are built as part of a larger structure, the entire piece is called a falla. Many are the size of buildings. 

They are usually made of very flammable materials: cork, paper machè, wood and plaster.

The Casal Faller

Many neighborhoods and streets come together to build and support the creation of entire scenes. There are versions for children which are sometimes smaller versions of the very tall and impressive ones. Through the casal faller (like an association of participants), they plan events and gatherings to raise money for materials, and to get the best sculptures, carpenters, woodworkers and artisans to help create the work. 

(As a result of these events, you have no reason not to meet your neighbors!) :) 

There is often a theme each year, and while a lot of the fallas are of famous characters, like cartoons or celebrities, there are often ones which are designed to make a political or satirical statement, or something which would ordinarily be censored.  They know it`s going to be burned, so they can make this statement with confidence.

Why Put So Much Work Into It If It`s Just Going to Be Burned?

I was really asked this. 

I answered...why wrap Christmas gifts if they are just going to be opened? ;) 

Yes, I understand there is a difference between a few minutes that it makes to wrap a gift, and the months and months of work to create the ninots and the falles. 

But I suppose the answer is...it`s a way to bring the communities together, to create something fun, creative, or something which is a reflection of the times we live. It is effort put into a creation to show your support for (or disdain for) something.

WHAT IS THAT NOISE?!

Is it afternoon and very loud in the plaza? Then, that noise is the mascletà, which I wrote about in a previous post. 

Do you not know what time it is but instead see children and the elderly alike with what look like small sticks of dynamite, throwing them at people? Those are petardos, little firecrackers. Everyone throws them into the streets. 

What Do People Wear/Eat/Do?

I`ll write a separate post about the falleros and falleras and what they wear, since they are truly stunning, and beautiful... more than words can explain! 

Eating...well, of course there's paella and orxata. There are also meetings with friends where the only purpose is to chat and enjoy a very thick hot chocolate. There are also bunyols, which are like donuts, made with pumpkin. None of it is good for the scales but this is a time for enjoyment, so don`t look at the number! :)