"Neighborhood Allegory (Santa Lucía de Tirajana)", written by @loretosocorro
At the beginning of the year we wanted to go out in search of magic and we found it in Vecindario. When we arrived at the "Victor Jara Theater" we only had to shout "Open Sesame" and there was the treasure: a handful of hard-working, positive and carnival-loving people who are the joy of the Allegory, in this little piece of our homeland, called Vecindario .
Margarita López Ruano (responsible for the Animation Workshop), Alberto Ojeda (Cultural technician from Santa Lucía de Tirajana) and Paco Alemán (Culture Coordinator) who receive us in full swing.
The theater is like a giant heart that breathes life into the set, with noisy machines on stage. But, at the same time, that heart gives away a silent beating, just behind, where the needles and silicones do the finest work, also against the clock.
Paco Alemán tells us about the beginnings of Allegory and his good humor that overflows us to the point of infecting us with his fresh and sincere laughter. "Look, I'm going to tell you one thing: this y all cultural activity what are we doing today I owe itíwe love to dedicate to Dsunday Socorro, who was a school teacher and that got involvedó in everything that was the cultural movement, in the beginnings."
In 1982, the "Wake of the Sardine" began in Vecindario: a group of people who chose a theme and dressed up to get on a float. That was the seed of the Allegory. And in 1989 they made an important leap: "Es what we consider today in day the "ALegowent" – adds Paco – fueuno spectáass where i singabamos, actálet's go, there was musica… all live. We did the first assembly in the warehouse of “La Ciel”, with participationón of people from fuera Group ysAbout a hundred people gathered for the assembly.”
Forty years later, the Allegory of Carnival has far exceeded that number. Margarita explains that she has a quota of people but… “Then we feel sorry and everyone enters. The registration period is the limit that we set for ourselves.”
We want to find out which of all the themes of the past Allegories is the favorite.
"Yo, – says Paco- is that I have passionón for Japón. Cuwhen it turned oneron the lights and those columns appeared... y el púmilitary made ¡Oooh….!” Paco Alemán speaks and transmits his feelings to us, as if we were looking at the moment he recounts with his eyes.
Alberto is left with the Allegory to “Pop” and Margarita with the one dedicated to “Cinema”.
"In the movie, I already participatedn both of them -Paco speaks- they were my boys, they started with me…”
Paco spent twenty years making the Allegory. Alberto dedicated himself to it for six years and Margarita has been in charge for thirteen years now.
Alberto clarifies us about the operation of the assembly: “We have all done everything, but despite that, there is a multidisciplinary team: Margarita is more in charge of the set design, Arancha is in the costumes, Leti is in the dance part…”
Margarita answers "Semidan and Olivia are also with the set design"
The team that is currently in the Animation Workshop with Margarita all year is: Semidan Ojeda, Arantxa Martínez, Leticia Torres and Olivia Mayor.
To show what these people are capable of doing, I want to tell you that, on the day of the premiere of the Allegory of Cinema, they put two limousines to pick up the participants and make them feel like movie stars. It is not only about creating a show that has nothing to envy to national and international artistic productions, but -in addition- they make happiness for the public and for components of the work.
"The participants entered from behind the theater in the limousine, dáWe turned around and I appearedíeven by the main door of the theater. we laid out a red carpet y hacía spectacular entrance” Margarita, Paco and Alberto continue recounting their memories: "Collaborated all the world, even the cleaner." “Y when they went down the stairs with The púthe public applauding, the spotlights… Hubo people who were in a cloud the whole time y walking on tiptoes without realizing it"
The Allegory of Carnival is something intense, exciting and unique. It is not about carrying out a Carnival based on checkbooks and calling famous people, but rather that the artists are the people of the town.
"Our carnival has always been peculiar at that level - Alberto explains to us - it has never had election of the queen or other typical acts.”
The Allegory, according to Margarita, fully defines them: "Itit's expected, We received phone calls to find out when the tickets come out, when the registrations are. TEveryone awaits it and recognizes it as the most significant act of our carnival, without a doubt, it generates expectation.on.”
From the week after Christmas they start to write, to create. If the carnival arrives very early it becomes non-stop. They do everything themselves... "All my girl, all... We are a miracle every year -Paco speaks and Margarita and Alberto follow him pointing and laughing: “Script, andscenograafía, múmusic, theatrical scenes, audiovisualales dances… we sing and clap also."
" Pto prepare the allegory -explains Margarita- we have of semanas from January, because the first oneafter Kings, es registrationón. And later with the four weeks of February. La semana premiere is only for dress rehearsals.”
"Un year, the carnival was super soon – adds Alberto – and we got workar with some groups the Navidity and the allegory at once."
Margarita usually has the sardines already made since October and thus she is advancing work that translates into more time for everything else. “Burn the Ssquirrel in Pozo is something new, it is the first year that ago down. "Paco informs us.
"Ethis year goes down to POzo because he has to go back to the sea Margarita clarifies, at the same time that she makes us smile.
Alberto, as if confessing a funny secret, explains to us - "Itn the veinte years of Paco, the Ssardina always tuvo a leading role but when did i startthis I...we were young, la we take outs – laughing, accomplices with Margarita – ¡la Ssquirrel outside, the Ssquirrel out!
Paco applauds them for making their decisions, for marking their own style. "TiThey have their own way of seeing things, It's like that, it's like that…”
La Sardina is now placed at the entrance of the theater, so that people can see it when they arrive and Margarita takes advantage of it ingeniously and gives us another unique moment: “ANow we have canned and canned sardines.”
If you have already been to the public, you will understand me and if you have never been enjoying the "Allegory" do not stop going as soon as you can. In a very short time, with just five people and a very limited budget, they manage to put on an impressive show.
Alberto takes the floor: " Something happens, when I explyou go and say it is something of groups, of townspeopleor… they think it could be a small event that way, but when people see it they say yesand imaginedn another thing, which this has a professional finish, a staging bright…"
This year around two hundred people have registered to participate and the age range is open from eight to ninety-nine years.
"Pfor us -Paco speaks- the essence remains the same: give the word, the voice and the leading role to the people of the town. Ethat is our success y we have applied it to alls others events we celebrate: al díto the witches, to the díto of Canarya, el of the book, the cavalcade of Kings… "
Paco reflects on how this tradition was built from scratch: "Itn Vneighborhood we invented esto because there was nothing. Several people pledged and involved the townspeople thoroughly and that's why culture is breathed here."
In forty years thousands of people have passed through the different Allegories: girls and boys who started out and are now adults and remember it as a beautiful and important moment in their lives. We learned that some participants claim to be the one who had fallen in "India" or that they met their partner, with whom they made a family, while participating in the Allegory.
"About Us same we did ourror group of friends here -Margarita and Alberto speak – and there are people who have found their professional vocation after going through some allegory".
This way of experiencing carnival has taken root for various reasons: due to the political stability that has helped to maintain the festival, because the protagonism of the Allegory falls on the citizenry and because it offers a response to a group of people who are not the ones who They are often on sports teams or in other activities.
Now, just concluded this year's Allegory, which as a novelty we highlight the one that was presented by the people who make up the workshop: who have been giving life to the Allegory behind and in front of the stage. We take the opportunity to ask how they take care of themselves after so much work, but it seems that there is no time because organizing "the Book" is just around the corner.
"CWith the passing of the years there is a lot of expectationón, – Alberto speaks to us- EThis is a job that is very grateful but also provides a lot of stress because es very judged. Hay three thousand people who sit down and give their opinion. Is la pressure to always measure up, of whome like it, if it is different…”
"During the process you live intensely – continues Margarita -, esOKYou are creating and you do not sleep. You are in bed and you think en this, en the other, rethink such music, the scenery and you don't stop turn everything around"
The Allegory of Carnival consists of three functions. That translates into thousands of live viewers, plus those who enjoy the show on local TV “Este Canal”, and also on its YouTube channel, deferred.
"EThis is a must come see itrquand it's amazing- Paco comments and adds what he feels on the day of each premiere – HOmbre, the heart explodes! It's a barbarity of emotions that come together..."
"Adamás -adds Alberto- la ALegoía always ends with unto confetti explosion while salen all the participants on stage and there… ¡a musician! Nor see the energy that is felt, that is experienced… it is incredible.
Seeing the good atmosphere, how organized and hardworking they are and, above all, how the people of this place get involved, I visualize them being the protagonists of a series that, over time, would be a cult series: “The feeling of Vecindario from the Allegory of Carnival” or “Miracle in the Southeast”.
From Sal del Atlántico we want to thank the time and sympathy shared during the report as well as the effort of these people to make the Allegory of the Neighborhood Carnival possible.
Link to the photo gallery:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/195878709@N08/albums/72177720306444885/page1
