Vicente Garcia Egea was the regional delegate for Tourism of the Junta de Andalucia. He presented today the I Meeting of Crews “Recovering Parrandas and Cantes from Before”, which will host the municipality of Lucar next Saturday, December 19. The sponsorship of the ministry led by Vice President Juan Marin is a testament to the success of the ministry. This event was created with the goal of making it “an important event in the provincial tourist and cultural calendar” and “an additional attraction to attract travelers to the region through ancient folklores and the traditions passed down to us by the elders”.
Garcia Egea has emphasized the “uniqueness” of the Valle del Almanzora municipality and has praised the “dedication” of the government team in “recovering the traditional songs, dances, and costumes of the area. This was not only done through the meeting but also through the realization of music workshops and the preparation of traditional costumes, as explained Manuel Lopez Encinas, the mayor.
The delegate stated that “It is a type folklore which had been lost amongst the new generations and from Juan Marin the council we are going to support the City Council in this effort to value this tradition to restore the identity of our peoples as well as to make it a tourist attraction in this area”.
Garcia Egea indicated that initiatives like the 1st Meeting of Squads “Recovering Parties and Cantes from Before” in Lucar are “in tune with one of the strategic line of action of ministry and that it involves “giving new focus to the tourism offer from the municipalidiosyncrasyncrasysyncrasysty and sustainability>>.” “We want Almeria to be known as a whole for its sustainable tourism offer. The province has many indicators and Cabo de Gata Nijar natural park isn’t just a flag.
He has mentioned the Sierra Nevada, Sierra Maria-Los Velez, or Sierra de los Filabres natural parks, where Lucar falls. This forest mass is “second most important in Andalusia after the Sierra de Cazorla, and there are already initiatives for turning it into a national park.”
He concluded that “the traditions and popular symbology of inland towns must also form part of the province’s image of sustainable tourist, which isn’t just its coast towns and that is the commitment of Ministry of Tourism.”
Rosa Maria Garcia, the City Council’s cultural promotor, stated that the initiative was created with the goal that “most typical traditions”, which were “forgotten” and “part of the identity of Lucar” “can have roots again through their youngest”.
Garcia, who transferred, stated that “we want it to be a tourist attraction beyond recuperating the memory of the village”. Garcia also suggested that workshops and another meeting were being planned. Garcia said that the older members would explain to the younger how the songs and dances were created.
He has highlighted the ethnographic significance of these traditions in this way: “They were not just a dancing tradition, but were associated to the way of living and expression of the farmers.”
The City Council of Lucar organized a snack and “walk” through the streets of the city for the I Meeting of Crews on December 19. This is similar to what crews of souls did on these dates of Christmas. At 4:30 pm, the program will start with a reception at Marin de Poveda Cultural Hall. The talk and dance performance will be followed by a snack of traditional sweets at 5:30 pm. The gang parade will be held between 6:00 and 8:00 p.m.