Any place is good for a party, but the people of Pola de Siero have chosen nature. A green oasis near the town center, complete with a forest to provide shade if the heat becomes too intense. The early risers head up to the meadow around five in the afternoon. There's a formal ceremony, an advance party with drums and bagpipes inaugurating the pilgrimage and the encampment. Music bands and food stalls spring up , and time flies by amidst the fantastic atmosphere, sometimes lasting well into the early hours.
Years ago when they returned to the village, the pilgrims asked their neighbors for water. And from the balconies the cauldrons poke to soak up the staff. Nowadays it is something that is lost. The older ones approach the classic verbena, the young people usually stuff pubs and discos until the body endures.
But the Carmín festival is not a circumstantial or whimsical event; it is a deeply rooted celebration with a rich history. We can go back in time and thus approach the very essence of a festival that today knows no borders.
As early as the 17th century, a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel was built in the square of what is now "Les Campes," although it was later demolished in 1810 by agreement of the members of the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, as it was serving as a parapet for the French. Its altarpiece and image were moved to a different location, then transferred to the parish church, which was burned down during the uprising of 1936.
The celebration was always reserved for the Sunday following July 16th each year , and because of the large number of members of the brotherhood, the festival was repeated the following Tuesday, on a smaller scale, and for this reason it was called "the Carmine".
The image from the hermitage was carried in procession so that everyone could see it. The large crowd and the pilgrims worshipped it in the shade of the old chestnut trees. As a farewell, the traditional Danza Prima dance was performed , with the refrain "Long live the Virgin of Carmen!" Eel empanadas replenished the pilgrims' strength.
Over time, some things have changed, at the beginning of the 20th century the Music Band announced the beginning of the festivities, the first festival was always held in the church square until in the 20 years the creation of the park changed the physiognomy of the Pola and the party.
Today, religious events are somewhat overshadowed by the current popularity of secular ones. The pilgrimage known as the "Romería de Asturias" continues to be exceptionally well-received, and as already mentioned, locals and visitors alike flock to the meadow with their empanadas (not just eel empanadas), their preñaos (stuffed bread rolls)... and their good bottles of cider.
Today, as 300 years ago, Carmín is a festive luxury, and, faithful to their ancestors, thousands of people dance the Danza Prima through the streets:
Oh! a gallant from this villa
Oh! a gallant of this house
Oh! he came here
Oh! he passed here
Oh! say what he wanted ...
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
