Carnival - the Pregón

The women's chirigota group hold a public rehearsal at the Bar Trafalgar
Photo: Juan Jose Moreno

 This is the week of Carnival and the celebrations will culminate on Friday the 7th when different groups will come from far and near to compete. This weekend, we saw several informal appearances around town, giving us a preview of what was to come and on Sunday afternoon, Vejer's different groups came together for the prégon, the opening of ceremonies.

 The pregón was not advertised, because everyone knows exactly when and where it will take place, and the Teatro San Francisco was full for the occasion.  The pregón was attended by all the town's dignitaries, because Carnival is one of the most important events on the town's calendar, but the person at the heart of Carnival is the Pregonero.

 The Pregonero, or Pregonera, because the job is sometimes done by a woman, is the master of ceremonies, or as we might also say the 'lord of misrule', who introduces and co-ordinates the activities of carnival.

However, the term was not always confined to Carnival. Originally, a pregón was a street cry, either from a street vendor or the person we might call the 'town crier'.

 A few street vendors still operate in the area. In Conil recently, I heard the guttural shout of the cenachero (fish-seller); 'María! Come and buy anchovies!' His fierce shout was not exactly inviting, but it was difficult to ignore.

 Although the cenachero was named after the 'cenacho', the harness used for loading a mule, he was famous for his pannier baskets, which he would set dancing on their chains. He didn't have the streets to himself. Even in the 1980s, milk was sometimes sold from a van, straight into your jug. Itinerant street selling was the main form of distribution for a whole range of household products, low on overheads and convenient for the buyer.

 Street-selling diminished during the twentieth century as cars on the streets increased and urban centres grew. Nowadays, itinerant sellers are more likely to operate from a van. Bread is still sold this way in the provinces of Granada and Jaen, the arrival of supplies heralded by a prolonged blast on the horn, and the knife-sharpener's whistle is heard around Vejer, though maybe not for much longer.

http://www.freesound.org/people/poorenglishjuggler/sounds/170470/

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-25339469

 Nowadays, the pregón is mainly associated with Carnival, and the pregonero/a is at the centre of the festivities, kicking things off with an individual and entertaining pregón which is unique every year. It is also the moment when the 'disfrazes', the carnival costumes are shown for the first time

José Duarte

 Vejer's pregonero this year is José Duarte, familiarly known as 'Pepe Purito'. A lifetime Carnival enthusiast, in 2012 he founded the group 'La bajada de la bolsa' (the bottom of the bag) which encourages the participation of female chirigotas in this traditionally male genre.

 In the opinion of 'Pepe Purito', though Vejer traditionally had a strong carnival tradition, it lost momentum at the end of the twentieth century. Fortunately, a new generation came along and restored the tradition to its former glory. Vejer can now boast eight Carnival groups, and enthusiasm for this unique cultural tradition increases every year.