The rural setting of the village recreates its own past and, in the abstract, tries to summarize the compendium of Asturias. Near a hundred artisans (fabrics, espadrille, gastronomy, wood carvings, goldsmithing, bagpipe construction...) and about 300 extras animate a market that Porrúa invented a decade ago for the rest of Asturias.
During this historic weekend, the expectation is growing. The "spectators" of this unique work take advantage of the breaks in the show to eat some ribs, Creole sausages, cheese and, incidentally, buy a souvenir to hang on their lapel or on the walls of their house. The aromatic herbs fill the air, and the animation follows its own development of the creative hand and the good professional work of actors of the region who walk openly among us, the extras.
"How nice that we're here again!"A hypothetical Asturian family, lost in an incredibly adventurous exile, greets us. The countryman, the studious cousin, the rascal, the uncle, and the girl say they left the Pyrenees years ago, crossed Europe, reached Siberia, went down to Arabia, boarded a ship, and arrived on the African coast. From there, they went to America on another ship—quite a journey! And from each place, they brought back a million anecdotes and the occasional captive native to show off like some kind of freak. They arrive in Porrúa brimming with energy despite such a long voyage, and in every case, they prove to be experts at the diabolo and contortion.
The "boss" of the family, Rafa González, the "countryman", 2 and a half meters tall, wedged on his stilts, explains why Porrúa is the end of the trip: "we come to ask because there are more fame that here, yes, some exceptional day we put on the boats to fish on the high seas», he recalled.
Y between function and function, cheeses and donuts, the cider also runs as the town crier had warned at the beginning of the Folixa: «and in Porrúa they have very fresh cider and there are lots of cosuques to fill the güellu and the batiellu». What's more: "whoever doesn't find the market, is either blind or an idiot, because there are youngsters like roses and youngsters the flower of them, and you win from folixa caricoses are encesos (lit embers)".
Late night arrives in the magic and sly villageMeanwhile, the frixuelos, sausages, and water continue to flow, and a renowned musician takes to the streets to delight the crowd with a concert—half music, half mythological tale—in which xanas, trasgos, busgosos, and other strange beings parade amidst the spectacle. Fire, as tradition dictates, adorns the corners of Porrúa's main square, and the village is transported back to legend.
They do not usually miss in these days the performances of the folkloric groups of the council that usually conclude their dances with the popular cousin dance, the most autochthonous of dances, as a finishing touch.
La cultural association the «llacin»The association, made up of residents of Porrúa, is the driving force behind the event. They never hide their satisfaction with the popular support for the Mercáu (market) and are constantly surprised by the excitement their initiative generates. They also don't hide the secrets to their success: many people working for much of the year to ensure everything runs smoothly. Each year, more people in the village get involved in the organizational aspects. This tireless residents' association also promotes and manages another traditional gem of the region: The Ethnographic Museum of Porrúa.
Ethnographic Museum of Porrúa
In the beautiful village of Porrúa, in the municipality of Llanes, famous for preserving the hallmarks of… Read more
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
