Correfoc Barcelona September 23rd, 2006

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Correfoc in València

Correfocs are amongst the most striking of Catalonia's festive events: "devils" play with fire and with the people. These devils are not the incarnation of evil; they are sprightly and festive, dancing to the sound of the drums and the traditional gralla, while they set off their fireworks.

Correfoc, meaning "fire run" can come in many forms. Some are simple parades including fireworks and effigies of the devil. In Sitges it is common for a crowd to line a street, and participants run through a tunnel of fireworks. In Barcelona or Tarragona, Correfoc runs at La Merce in September.

Another typical Catalan folkloric expression of this sort is La Carretillada in L'Arboç. The topmost moment in the village's feast is the "Carretillada". After the performance, at night, it shows Hell. For nearly half an hour, devils burn their "carretilles" (carts) jumping around ceaselessly in the town square, while the big sceptre of Lucifer (Llucifer in Catalan) and the pitchfork of the Diablessa (She-Devil) are burning their fire-jets and other pyrotechnics. Fire must not stop, not even decrease. Every year, the "carretillada" is a bit different, because the 'colla' (group) does not give up novelties that are added each year to make it more spectacular. But we must not forget its attractiveness relies on devils' effort to keep the fire level all along that time, while drums are beating. Devils seem to be arising from Hell.

[edit] External links

• Els Ducs del Foc (Catalan)
• Colla del Basilisc (Catalan)
• Grup del Correfoc del Follet i la Fantasma de Sant Feliu de Codines (Catalan)
• Ball de diables de L'Arboç
• Correfoc photos and films
• Fills de Satanàs de l'Spelunca Diabòlica
• Aquelarre de Cervera
• Dimonis de l'Avern
• Federació de Dimonis i Diables del País Valencià
• Great Devils in Panamá