''Correfocs'' (); literally in
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
"fire-runs") are among the most striking features present in
Valencian
Valencian () or Valencian language () is the official, historical and traditional name used in the Valencian Community (Spain), and unofficially in the El Carche comarca in Murcia (Spain), to refer to the Romance language also known as Catal ...
and
Catalan
Catalan may refer to:
Catalonia
From, or related to Catalonia:
* Catalan language, a Romance language
* Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia
Places
* 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...
festivals. In the ''correfoc'', a group of individuals will dress as
devil
A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conceptions of ...
s and light up
fireworks
Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large number of devices ...
– fixed on devil's pitchforks or strung above the route. Dancing to the sound of a rhythmic drum group, they set off their fireworks among crowds of spectators. The spectators that participate dress to protect themselves against small burns and attempt to get as close as possible to the devils, running with the fire. Other spectators will watch from "safe" distances, rapidly retreating as necessary.
The ''correfoc'' can come in many forms. Some are simple parades using fireworks and effigies of the devil. In
Sitges
Sitges (, , ) is a town about 35 kilometres southwest of Barcelona, in Spain, renowned worldwide for its Film Festival, Carnival, and LGBT Culture. Located between the Garraf Massif and the Mediterranean Sea, it is known for its beaches, nights ...
, it is common for a crowd to line a street, while participants run through a tunnel of fireworks. ''Correfocs'' are run during the
Festival of ''La Mercè'' in Barcelona,
the
Festival of ''Santa Tecla'' in Tarragona and the
Festival of ''Saint Narcissus'' in
Girona
Girona (officially and in Catalan , Spanish: ''Gerona'' ) is a city in northern Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell rivers. The city had an official population of 103,369 in 2020. Girona is the capital ...
.
Another typical Catalan folkloric expression of this sort takes place in
L'Arboç
L'Arboç () is a village in the province of Tarragona and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain.
L'Arboç contains a half-scale replica of the La Giralda in Seville. The building also contains copies of the Court of the Lions
The Court of th ...
. The highlight of the village's feast is the ''Carretillada''. In the evening of the feast day, the town square is made to look like
Hell. For nearly half an hour, "devils" burn their ''carretilles'' (carts), jumping around ceaselessly, while a large "sceptre of Lucifer" and the "pitchfork of the ''Diablessa'' (she-devil)" shoot fire-jets and other
pyrotechnics. Every year, the ''carretillada'' is a bit different, because the 'colla' does not give up novelties that are added each year to add to the spectacle.
See also
*
Ball de diables
The ''ball de diables'' (; Catalan for "Devils' dance") is a dance tradition originating from Catalonia, though it is also observed in the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands. Over the course of centuries, the ''balls de diables'' hav ...
*
Toro de fuego
A ''toro de fuego'' ("fire bull") is a festive activity in Spain, where a metal frame resembling a bull, with fireworks attached to it, is set alight, and then the person carrying the frame runs around town at night as if chasing people in the st ...
References
External links
Correfoc imagesEls Ducs del Foc
Colla del Basilisc
Grup del Correfoc del Follet i la Fantasma de Sant Feliu de Codines
Xaldiga de Manresa
Ball de diables de L'ArboçFills de Satanàs de l'Spelunca DiabòlicaAquelarre de CerveraDimonis de l'AvernFederació de Dimonis i Diables del País ValenciàGreat Devils in PanamáSenyors del foc, Castelló d'Empúries, CatalunyaLa Merce Part 3Pàgina oficial de la Federació de Diables i Dimonis de Catalunya
Dimonis de CampanarDiables de TerrassaImage Gallery, Correfoc at L'Eliana, Valencia, Spain
{{Culture of Valencian Community
Catalan folklore
Catalan symbols
Catalan words and phrases
Valencian culture