One of the most important aspects of Vaqueira culture has always been marriage . In western Asturias, mixed marriages between Vaqueiros and villagers were rare. It was quite logical for Vaqueiros to marry among themselves, given their pastoral and transhumant lifestyle.
The groom's father would go to the bride's house, and there, after some haggling, they would determine what each spouse would contribute to the marriage. On the wedding day, the procession, made up of the bride and groom, godparents, and guests, was preceded by the trousseau, carried in a cart pulled by two cows . Inside was a chest or trunk filled with linens, surrounded by sacks of wheat and the other items that made up the trousseau. Above it all stood the bridal bed, and then, in a rush and at a gallop, came the horses with young women riding behind them, shouting joyful cries of celebration from their mounts.
Many aspects of this tradition are still observed today . The day continues to begin at midday, when the official procession gathers at the top of the mountain pasture and sets off alongside the wedding party on horseback. For many, it is the most opportune time of year to show off their horses and festive attire . The godmother's basket, adorned with ribbons and containing bread, butter, eggs, and sweets, adds further picturesque touches to the spectacular procession.
The bride and groom, today as always, remain the undisputed stars and are honored with a retinue of bagpipes and folk groups . In front of the makeshift open-air altar, they exchange the wedding coins and share the kiss that seals their commitment. This is followed by a communal feast , a country meal featuring chosco (a type of sausage), cooked ham, frixuelos (a type of pancake), cider, whipped cream from the local mountain pastures, and Vaqueiro coffee.
Instead of the traditional wedding dance and the typical orchestra that entertains after the meal at weddings we're used to, the Vaqueira celebration is all about improvised stages, folk songs, and ballads with the most vibrant mountain flavor . Folk groups perform traditional Vaqueira dances, a choir competition is held, and people dressed for the occasion play typical instruments, such as the "payetsa," a pan with a very long handle that is beaten with an iron key. Amidst the revelry, representatives of the traditional council present certificates and proclaim the Vaqueiros of honor for the year. Throughout this colorful day, it's easy to identify with the blend of rebelliousness and resilience characteristic of the Vaqueiro spirit.
Where is the Vaqueira wedding celebrated?
The Vaqueira wedding is arguably the most authentic wedding celebration in Spain. This event, steeped in local culture, draws hundreds of people every year on the last Sunday of July to the Aristébano mountain pass , between the municipalities of Valdés and Tineo. In this mountain pasture, families, friends, and curious onlookers participate in one of the most important summer pilgrimages in Asturias, centered around the Chapel of the Divine Shepherdess.
Requirements to celebrate a Vaqueira wedding
For its celebration, it is necessary that one member of the couple has Vaqueira roots , they form a heterosexual couple and accept marriage by the Catholic rite.
What are the Vaqueiros?
Jovellanos defined them thus three centuries ago: “They are called VAQUEIROS because they commonly live by raising cattle; and ALZADA, because their settlement is not fixed, but rather they move their dwelling and residence, and migrate annually with their families and livestock to the high mountains .” Much has been written about the Vaqueiros since then. Scholars such as Acevedo Huelves, Uría Ríu, Canella, Cabal, and Caro Baroja have been compiling a kind of guide to a lineage that, along with the Pasiegos, Maragatos, and Chuecas, constitutes a group of marginalized peoples , whose common denominator was the social exclusion to which they were subjected by those who deprived them of their voice and vote.
The chieftains of the time dictated the rules and imposed their laws in both social and economic matters; the clergy deprived the vaqueiros of the right to be buried in coffins or to pass through a place in the church marked by a wooden beam, as existed in the church of Naraval, or a legend engraved in stone: "the vaqueiros do not pass from here", as can still be seen in the temple of San Martín de Luiña.
This ongoing discrimination further explains the rebellious spirit of their ceremonies and the fact that the Vaqueiros practiced strict endogamy , essential for the survival of a minority and marginalized group. Endogamous marriage became fundamental for the perpetuation of the group and the strengthening of its identity.
Photo: rtve.es 2018
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
