Almería and its Traditions

The festival of the bonfires of San Juan affords visitors a spectacular night show, with fire, an inseparable element of provincial tradition as in the entire Mediterranean region, once again taking a leading role.
The province’s numerous art centres and establishments are basis of the wide array of traditional crafts in Almería, based on such diverse trades and elements as the pottery of Vera and Níjar, the renowned marble of Macael and textile crafts and fine leather goods.

Festivities and Popular Traditions

The idiosyncrasies and distinctive personality of the inhabitants of the towns are best displayed in their customs and festivals, occasions which give an outlet to festive celebration and folk heritage, the result of centuries of deep-rooted tradition.Worthy of highlighting in these festivals are the typical attire of the province, such as the “refajona” and the “curro”, which has become a symbol of the culture.

In Almería there is a certain element generally found in the manifestation of the culture, fire,and it takes a leading role during the celebration of the Noche de San Juan. Fire is very prominent in Mediterranean culture and in this Andalusian province it becomes emblematic. Romerías, or gatherings at local shrines, with both playful and religious components, in which horses play an mportant part, are a good example of the use of this force of nature in festivities. But for the best example of deep-rooted traditions in different towns of the province, we would point to the festivals of Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians), where the ancient battles between Muslims and Christians are re-created and in which the costumes constitute one of the most elaborate and surprising factors. The festival in Mojácar stands out among all, but they are celebrated all along the Western and Eastern coasts and in the inland areas as well. A half of the month of August and lasts ten days that are divided into the daytime Feria del Mediodía, which takes place in the city centre, and the Feria de la Noche, with a wide array of casetas (tented pavilions). In the region of The Alpujarra and in a few towns in the Filabres-Sierra Alhamilla-Río Nacimiento area, it is customary to celebrate the day before Ash Wednesday, Jueves Lardero and the Día de la Cruz, around the 3rd of May. The festival of the Virgen del Carmen and the Día de la Vieja, the latter celebrated above all in the area of Levante, complete the calendar of festivals in the province. Every 29 December a typical sea-faring festival, known as “Las Moragas”, is held at Roquetas de Mar, in which grilled fish and meat is prepared and eaten at the beach.

Gastronomy

Strolls through the hot streets and towns of the province will afford visitors, especially at meal time, a well-deserved and refreshing surprise, the varied cuisine of the area. Not in vain is this part of Andalusia one of the best areas in which to enjoy the typical tapa, accompanied, according to personal taste, by a glass of cold beer or one of the region’s robust wines. The highest quality wines of the region are produced mainly in the towns of Laujar de Andarax, Ohanes, Fondón, Alboloduy and Berja.

Within the city of Almería, the neighbourhoods of Pescadería, El Alquián and Cabo de Gata, among others, are ideal for trying the typical fried fish, fried in the excellent olive oil of Tabernas and The Alpujarra. Fried fish is a staple all along the coast, always served in a delicious combination with fresh products from the vegetable garden. Visitors preferring to try the traditional home cooking of the inland regions will find it represented in many different kinds of hot tapas, such as migasand patatas a lo pobre, the famous and delicious "Cocido Andaluz", the excellent "Gaspacho", the much appreciated "olla de Trigo" and also "migas" tipical dish eaten mainly during the winter months, Gurullos (stew with pasta), Gachas (hot and spicy clam stew) and Escabeche e Sardines (fresh sardines in hot sauce). As well as cultivating tourism over the past decade, Almeria has also cultivated innumerable plastic covered greenhouses and now produces the bulk of the province's fruit and vegetables.

Crafts

If there is one thing that characterises the crafts tradition of the province of Almería, it would be the large amount of art centres and establishments, as well as examples of the expression of this folk art, that goes from the traditional pottery of the towns to the famous works made of marble of Macael, which was used in the construction of the Alhambra itself in Granada.

It is however, without a doubt, the marble of Macael that stands out as the main attraction in the crafts of the province. This material, whose name is linked to the towns of the so-called Comarca del Mármol, is exported to all of Europe and is taken, interestingly, from quarries near the towns that are public property,and for which a very small extraction tax is levied.
Textile crafts, especially the Almerian jarapa which is woven at the town of Níjar, the centuries-old looms of Berja and Laujar de Andarax, and the red coral from the Island of Alborán, are all living examples of the artistic heritage of Almería.

Fuente: www.dipalme.org