Moors & Christians
... in Moraira

by Sylvia Klinzmann

One of the largest and most impressive fiestas of this region is that of the Moors & Christians, which re-enacts the Moors' encroachment onto Spanish soil thirteen hundred years' ago, and its subsequent reclamation by Christian armies. In 711 a Moorish hoard invaded Spain and in just a few years had conquered virtually the entire Iberian peninsula. Attempts by the Christians to recapture their land lasted late into the thirteenth century, and in 1492 Granada, the last bastion of Moorish rule, was freed from occupation. Queen Isabella I of Castille and King Ferdinand II of Aragón, two of the most powerful rulers at that time, were responsible for this final liberation of Spain.

The cradle of the Moors & Christians festivities is in Alcoy; they hold what is probably the largest fiesta each year around 21st to 24th April. The festival is specifically in honour of Saint George (Sant Jordi) who on 23rd April 1276 protected Alcoy when it was attacked by the Moorish Azraq Knights.

In Moraira, Moors & Christians is held on the second or third weekend in June. Collaborators are divided into nine different armies (Filás), four of which are Christian and five Moorish. I belong to the Conquistadoras (Conquerers) army, which was formed at the end of 1996. Each army has their own colours, which are reflected in that group's flag and costumes. The Conquistadoras colors are beige and dark green, and our emblem comprises a crossbow, arrows and a medieval style trumpet.

Each group takes it in turns to be the Capitanía, or lead army, and amongst other duties takes responsibility for arranging the traditional giving of gifts and drinks. The most significant task is to plan the procession, which which takes place each year on the Sunday evening and is the grand finale of the fiestas. The lead army is also responsible for fund raising throughout the year, which is extremely time consuming - the group's families hardly see them during this time - but is also great fun.

The whole event can involve a huge expense for each Filá as well as the lead army, such as purchase of the costumes (Chilabas), selection of the flag's emblem and colours, and payment of the army headquarters (Cabila), where the group meets throughout the year and use extensively during the Fiesta. In Moraira it is almost impossible to find a venue with a reasonable rent for the Cabila, and the Conquistadoras were very lucky that they have somewhere in Avenida del Portet that is perfect for their needs.

The last time the Conquistadoras held the Capitanía was in 2000. The Capitanía army is chosen at the end of the existing fiesta and lasts for one year. The head army must chose a King and Queen, who lead the festivities. It is usually encumbent upon the King and Queen to support their group financially, and a central committee, or Junta Central, is appointed to organise everything.

A significant cost relates to the music; each army must hire a band who march and play with the Filá throughout the festivities. There is also the feeding of the group to take into consideration, as members will be involved with the festivities for the whole day and night during Moors & Christians week. A daily meal is therefore arranged to be delivered to each Cabila. Ammunition is a must, as firing of the blunderbusses takes place each morning throughout the week and at some of the more important processions. Flowers play a large part in the fiesta too, and it is vital that each Filá hires a really special costume for the final Sunday procession. It is important to the participants that this costume will be different each year, and the more impressive the better. Finally, the content of the procession itself should be as spectacular as possible, and previous parades have included camels, elephants, exotic dancers and a whole host of breathtaking sights.

In 2000 when the Conquistadoras were the lead army, we naturally wanted to arrange something really special. After much dicussion, a programme was created, costings were estimated and all the mechanisms explored to put everything into place. For fund raising, we organised raffles, had a stall on Teulada Rastro every Sunday, and arranged weekly fashion shows in Algas bar. We also manned a stall at the Teulada Christmas market selling mulled wine and Stollen (German Christmas cake), which was a success despite the rainy weather. I cannot imagine how many hundreds of Christmas lottery tickets we sold that year, but each time I met up with anyone, their first question was always "what do you want to sell me now"! Public support is, however, vital to the success of the fiestas and their continuance, and it is due to the people of Moraira and their generosity that we are able to make this fiesta such a success.

When the festivities finally started, all the trials and tribulations of the past year were forgotten, and we were so proud of the extravaganza we had created. Our Sunday procession included horses, two carriages - one containing all the children of the group's members and the other pulling a huge dragon carrying that year's King and Queen, with a papier maché King and Queen trundling behind who stood over three metres high.

One factor for all participants is the nervousness that is always present on the processions. In addition, the costumes are often uncomfortable; for example, the large plumed helmets that are integral to most of the outfits really cause headaches by the end of the evening. The long lances or spears we carry are also cumbersome and heavy, and there is always the fear that an instruction from the Filá guide (Cap de Filá) will be missed, or the precisely timed sequences will go wrong.

Yet despite all the discomfort, worry and expense, the experience of participaing in this fiesta is quite indescribable, and to march with your group round the bend of Avenida del Portet and see the smiling and excited faces of the crowd enjoying the spectacle you have created makes everything worthwhile. Everyone who participates in this event feels passionately about Moors & Christians and wants to make each year's event unique and unforgettable, and I hope all our readers feel the same and will continue to make this event a really special occasion.

Sylvia Klinzmann