Entroido on Trial

It's curious. When you look at a map of Traditional Entroidos in Galicia, the vast majority are in the province of Ourense, near the border with Portugal or León. In that region they have Carnivals that are considered Festivals of National Interest, and Galician Interest, too. (Not sure what the parameters are to be declared so interesting.) Then there's the Entroido Ribeirao, which is in the province of Lugo, but right on the border with the province of Ourense, so that makes sense. Next we have the Xenerais de Ulla that I mentioned the other day. They're a conglomeration of essentially the same celebration throughout the center of Galicia. Aside from these two main focal points, there are a handful of traditional Entroidos that are scattered randomly across Galicia, each with their own special character. That is the case for the second Carnival I attended this year.

Val do Franco is a bucolic, green valley in Castro de Rei, Lugo. If I was impressed the other day by the party the residents put on in a parish of less than 600 people, I've really gotta hand it to the folks of Val do Franco. This festival combines the forces of three parishes, and for good reason. Their total tally of inhabitants is not even 250! But they put on quite the show, with a local traditional band of all ages, a DJ, Carnival customs, and a full-fledge orquesta. Wow! I'm sure that all cost them a pretty penny. 

The ¨Prosecution¨ Arrives

We got there at the start of the party, following the tune of a multigenerational band. They had bagpipers, tambourine players, and other percussionists. The most endearing thing was a special recital by the littlest members, who stumbled through their own little Muiñeira dance. So cute! And extra sweet, because the Galician countryside has a population problem. More specifically, an aging population problem. Galicia is home to a lot more elderly than youth, so it was cute to see that in this village of just a few hundred people, there were a dozen residents representing the next generation. 

Two fareleiras protecting Entroido

The Galician folk music was eventually switched out for a DJ spinning Latin beats. Just as things were getting heated up, it was time for the Trial of Entroido. Entroido, also known as a ¨meco,¨ (an effigy, in this case of Carnival personified) was paraded in. Reminded me of my first Entroido 10 years ago! Except back then, it was meant to be a specific person. Escorting the Meco were two fareleiras. These masked bailiffs protect the figure of Entroido on its journey to trial and burning afterwards (if Entroido is found guilty, which of course he always is). They are a character specific to the Val do Franco Carnival. The fareleiras wear white jumpsuits and each have a stick with a fluffy bag of flour attached to hit people. In addition to thwacking people who get too close to the Entroido effigy, I think they also went after people without costumes, which is quite typical in Carnival characters.  Following the Entroido and his fareleira posse was a quartet of the costumed ¨prosecution,¨ pulled in by a tractor.

A few hundred of us gathered around the big stage to witness Entroido's Trial be carried out by two adults and two children. They took turns reading couplets about local happenings over the past year. Someone kicked their husband out of the house, someone found love abroad, someone got pregnant out of wedlock. At first I thought they were just kind of making stuff up, but then someone near us in the crowd muttered, ¨I know who that's about.¨ Therefore, they must have been real current events. Afterwards, a round man very aptly dressed as an English-style judge declared Entroido guilty as charged. Burn him in effigy! So off they carried poor Entroido (again, just a replica of a person) and lit him on fire as the crowd looked on from a safe distance. They even blew him up with fireworks! 

Left: Entroido about to be set on fire
Right of Center: Fareleira in action!

After the fire died down, we turned our attention back to the tent where the DJ had started up again. A while later, they raffled off a bunch of gift baskets. Then it was time for the orquesta to play some lively tunes. Another Entroido in the books!

Bye bye, Entroido!