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Tenerife festivals of Romerias are meant to be pure fun.During most Tenerife festivals people decorate their balconies. Rugs and fabric banners hang down from them together with other festive utensils. Often only, earthen ware pots used for storing wine are attached. The same happens during Los Realejos and La Orotava Romeria festivals. Romerias are a mixture of Pegan dating back to old most probably Celtic rituals from main land Spain and Guanche festivities.
At least traces of Tenerife Romeria festival music and musical instruments prove the touch of Guanche in them. A bit of Cuban and Puerto Rican also plays a part which we shall understand by Tenerife history. Besides, this is said clearly on a CD which I have of the most famous Tenderete folk music band Los Sabandenos. Tenderete music is part of Tenerife fiestas when they are Romerias.
Romeria Los Realejos:Romeria Chica 15th of May and the other last Sunday in May. The parades during those Tenerife festivals go up and down Los Realejos Alto (the higher part) Again no buses unless to La Tigaiga with bus Titsa no.370 from La Orotava. Please, check out Titsa for other directions. The seat entitles to local red wine out of barrels. Believe me, the wine flows merrily... Papas arrugadas, white, bread, strips of meat grilled on the vehicles, local tiny wrinkled potatoes which during Romerias are not the queens of them called 'papas arrugadas bonitas' for Eu 6 a kg are handed down from the festive wagons. We wouldn't mind. Right? I saw a mother with a pram during such Tenerife festivals. She had it covered with sack cloth. Even small children are often dressed in typical Romeria gear. Wagons or carts which are covered with hay or other rural materials are drawn by tractors mostly. The terrain would be too steep for oxen to do that. Instead, some of the oxen are walked along by their owners. The decor of the wagons is unreal. You will see all sorts of country utensils from cook ware to tools, dried melons, grains, strings of garlic, lemons, oranges and more hanging on them. Groups of folk dancers perform in the parades of Tenerife festivals while musicians walk behind playing live Tenderete. I also discovered a man with a real pig's head who drew much attention of amazed disbelief.
Romeria outfits for hire:Schools in Los Realejos and Puerto de la Cruz want their children to take part in Tenerife festivals with proper Romeria outfits. Here, I am not sure any more if it meant mainly for a school feast at the time. Nevertheless, the idea must be for the kids to also do their bit within parades with the correct custom gear. The mothers are forced to hire them for about To buy Romeria outfits is about as expensive as 1st Communion dresses starting with EU 100 where even made in China costs a fortune. Mothers of school kids cannot just take any outfit. All towns have slightly different Romeria costumes which then, again, vary according to guilds. The costume of a judge is real smart with expensive materials being used. The fishermen guild clothing is made in brown, black and white, only. But, it's great fun for foreigners to go in custom outfit to a live Tenderete as well as to a Romeria... Romeria La Orotava:Romeria San Isodro Labrador or Agricula Romerias always start in church. I saw its performers coming out of the beautiful church Iglesia de la Concecion where they immediately gave a show of excellent dancing. The best place for watching the whole parade may be on the bridge by the main town square. Again, the road is level here. Camping chairs are set up for EU 2,00, in 2006. You may then collect as much wine and food from the pulled wagons which is not always easy. Just like in Los Realejos... Here, too, you can have as much as you wish. In La Orotava, I enjoyed the Romeria most because of some of its Tenderete parade dancers that performed with such good co-ordination, energy and grace. A group of carnival Magos also takes part. A Romeria in Tenerife is great fun when in the right company. The following video of La Romeria San Roque 2007 has typical music of Tenderete.
Please, go back from Tenerife festivals to Tenerife fiestas.
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