BURIAL OF THE SARDINE
Miguelturra Carnival
Burial of the sardine, is relatively recent in comparison to the years that is taking place the carnival in Miguelturra. Nor are there any documents of its celebration in other locations in the national territory as we know it today.
Historians associate it with the burial of the piglet. It consisted of burying animal parts to usher in Lent, leaving the Carnival festivities behind. This tradition was celebrated in the 19th century, and even Francisco de Goya depicted it in one of his paintings.
In our area, La Mancha, the truth is that there hasn’t been tradition to celebrate the burial of the sardine, much less in times of prohibitions, where parades and concentrations were not authorized, being persecuted to prevent their celebration.
The Peña la Cabra precursor
It was in 1982 when a small group of carnival-goers, mostly members of the Peña la Cabra, decided to continue the carnival celebrations in Miguelturra. That Ash Wednesday, they took to the streets, and as Carnival King Serafín tells us, “this was done, planned, done“.
A box and two sticks, constitute the funeral box, a fresh sardine is the first deceased. Pepe Pichón and Pepe el Lobo will carry it to the shoulders, Cruzín, Paco Molina, Sagrario, Jesús Montera, Calañas, Miguel, Serafín, Merce, Encarni, Isidro, Pepillo, Venancio, Pancilla, Sagrario, Pepe Gilda, Loren and Antonio, compose the first funeral parade of the Sardine in Miguelturra.
1982. First burial of the sardine
1982. First burial of the sardine
Duel and start from the Bar-Restaurant El Ganadero
The mourning takes place in the Bar-Restaurant ‘El Ganadero’, from where the procession begins from the centric streets of the town, down the street ‘Toledillo’. Since that time and respecting tradition, is the starting point of the Burial of the Sardine of the Carnival of Miguelturra.
In 1983, it was included in the carnival program, always organized by the Peña la Cabra. A 6-meter-long sardine was made, becoming a traditional event of the Churriego carnival. A pioneering burial among the area’s carnivals, it spread to the rest of the region’s carnivals.
With its inclusion in the Carnival program, the funeral procession, is accompanied by a charanga that gives joy and color to the event, for the enjoyment and uproar of the mourners of the unfortunate sardine.
Up to three sardines were made
During the years of greater affluence and participation in the funeral, mainly due to the large affluence of curious people from towns where the event was not celebrated, up to three sardines of 6, 4.50 and 3 meters in length were made, accompanied of two charangas.
Nowadays, two sardines are made, one of 6 meters and one inflatable of 1.80 meters.
The funeral march, runs through the central streets of the town between sorrows and joys, cries, laughter, sobs, some fainting and above all, gibberish. The mourners finish the tour in the traditional crematorium, where both the major and infant sardines will be incinerated.
A delicious ending
The event concludes with the cremation of the ill-fated sardines. Meanwhile, to recover from the grief of such a tragic event, attendees can enjoy some delicious grilled sardines, accompanied by a good glass of lemonade to drown their sorrows.
1982. First burial of the sardine
