The Five Winds of Vejer

The Buenavista mills in their spring garden

Implements in use during the recent past, 
now in the San José windmill

 The traditional economics of La Janda depended on fishing and agriculture. Land was held in large estates called ‘Latifundias’, a legacy from the Reconquista, when generous allocations were made to incomers from the north in order to repopulate the area with Spanish-speaking leaders and managers. In the 13^th and 14^th centuries, this usually meant members of the minor aristocracy, who had been educated to rule but did not hold much land in their own areas. The offer of significant holdings was a strong incentive to migrate, just as it was in the USA in the 19th century.

Agricultural workers led an unstable existence, with starvation wages and no guarantee of regular employment, while fisher-folk were constantly threatened by the Atlantic gales and the ever-present Barbary corsairs. Most of the production in the area was managed by the powerful Dukes of Medina Sidonia, the historical equivalents of today’s corporate magnates, who drew profits accordingly.

Smaller enterprises also derived from agriculture. Vejer, as the most important town in the Comarca, housed the normal range of cobblers, merchants, mule-drivers, brothel-keepers, builders and every other trade necessary to the existence of a thriving town. Some of these are reflected in the street names – ‘Laneria’, ‘Tripería’, ‘Arrieros’, ‘Vino’.

Vejer was famous for its beehives, and often described as ‘Vejer of the honey.’ It is sometimes claimed that the cultivation of bees began in the area during the Tartessian era, 3000 – 500 years BC. Olive oil was produced in several local mils but as time went on, most of the milling in the area was devoted to grinding wheat into flour.

Until the 19th century, flour was produced at the water mills in Santa Lucía, but when the aristocracy lost their privileges in the mid-century, they were obliged to make other arrangements. The first windmills were constructed at Buenavista. They were not a success and were replaced by sturdier versions a few years later. One of these, San José is now open to the public. More mills were constructed to the west, and two of these now house the Poniente and Los Macininos restaurants.

A little while ago, I caught up with Juanino, who looks after both the mills and the mules which stand a little way off, ready to give rides to the public. He showed me the old photographs of the mills in their original glory, with their four triangular sails. 

The roofs of the mills were turned to meet the current wind using a stout beam, which slotted into a housing on the roof provided for the purpose. The roof was turned frequently and fortunately the operation was fairly straightforward. I was fascinated by Juanino’s description of the five winds which blew through Vejer, and their different characters.

There is always a wind in Vejer. Most of us are aware of the two main ones, the Levante and the Poniente. They are named after the rising and setting of the sun and therefore it is easy to deduce that they come from the East and West respectively.

 The Poniente is a consistent wind which doesn’t cause much trouble, but the Levante, gusty and hot, drives strong men to despair and causes general dismay. ‘I feel it in my body,’ a Vejeriego friend once told me, and the Levante is blamed for most of the mishaps which occur in the town while it is blowing. It blows back through the sewers and creates an unpleasant smell in bathrooms, prevents kite-surfing and is condemned as an absolute nuisance. It is often followed by clouds and rain, and is particularly unpleasant in Vejer, owing to the town's high position.

 Intriguingly, Juanino was also able to describe three more distinct winds which would have been old friends to the millers of the recent past. The Norte, the north wind, is a cold, dry wind while its cousin, the Rondeño, blows from the direction of Ronda in Malaga, the North East. The Bendabal arrives from the sea via Tarifa, a noisy wind which stirs up the sea and creates waves for surfers.

Earthenware 'lebrijas' for washing clothes

The Poniente is the hero-wind of millers, warm and hospitable, turning the sails evenly and making everyone’s life easier. Fortunately, it blows on more days of the year than any of the others.

The windmill ’San José’ is open to the public from 10 to 2 and 5-8 every day except Sunday and includes a range of furniture and implements as well as photographs from the past. While you are there, you might also try a ride on one of Juanino’s Andalucian mules. Taller than the traditional donkey, these mules are not hybrids, but were bred in the area to produce an animal with strength and endurance to carry out the many necessary tasks of haulage and transportation which were required from them in times gone by.

Along with flour, the mills produced great quantities of straw, and this was traditionally worked into baskets and other containers. A large variety of examples of this work are available at Juani's shop on Calle Trafalgar.