Building Human Pyramids for Catalonia
Castell competitions in Catalonia feature
human pyramids that build community and celebrate culture as the region
prepares to hold a straw vote on independence from Spain.
Video by Stefania Rousselle on
Publish Date November 7, 2014.
Photo by Arnau Bach for The New York Times.
VALLS,
Spain — It took the child about a minute to scramble up the wobbly
human tower, more than three stories tall. He paused for a few
precarious seconds, to steady himself, before raising his hand to
thunderous applause from the crowds packed into this town’s main square.
The
spectacle was part of a festival last month in Valls, the birthplace of
the castells, as the human towers are called in Catalan, a tradition
established here in 1801 and developed out of a folkloric dance.
Since
then, the castells have only become taller and more complex — risking
collapse as they employ as many as 600 people, sometimes in nine or 10
tiers of participants who bind their strength in an elaborate
interweaving of arms and bodies.
Recently
the castells have taken on new significance and popularity as Catalonia
presses to break away from Spain, reinvigorating a sense of pride and
identity.
During
the festival, the walls and balconies of the main square were covered
with Catalan flags and banners urging residents to vote for secession on
Nov. 9, when Catalonia is set to hold a straw ballot, despite strong
political and legal objections from Madrid.
Building Human Towers, and a Spirit of Independence, in Catalonia
CreditEmilio Morenatti/Associated Press
In
June, as part of a day of secessionist demonstrations, castells were
erected by Catalans in cities across Europe, including Berlin, Rome,
Brussels and Paris.
Some
politicians have seized on the castell as a metaphor of their
state-building ambitions. “Great structures can be built if people are
united in pursuit of a clear goal,” said Jordi Agràs Estalella, a
regional culture official, who was watching the competition in Valls.
Independent
of political tensions, however, the castells are in themselves a
fiercely competitive affair. The largest castell tournament takes place
every two years in Tarragona, inside a bullfighting ring. But for many
aficionados, the castells are best appreciated in the town festivals
like the one here.
Josep
Solé Tarragó, a former president of the oldest team in Valls, the Colla
Vella, suggested that its crosstown rivalry, with the Colla Joves, was
“one of the most passionate amateur rivalries in the world,” akin to
that between the university rowing teams of Oxford and Cambridge.
In
fact, after Gen. Francisco Franco won Spain’s civil war in 1939, he
forced the two teams in Valls to merge, because “this wasn’t the kind of
rivalry that suited a totalitarian regime,” according to Mr. Solé
Tarragó. Such was the rivalry, however, that the merger fell apart
within a decade.
To
build a castell, the biggest and strongest participants clutch each
other to form the pinya, or base, on top of which others then climb to
raise the actual tower. As the tower rises, the participants shrink in
size until only one child, known as the enxaneta, climbs to the apex of
the tower and raises a hand.Castells often collapse during the
construction phase. While there have been very few fatalities, injuries
sometimes occur. Even the tower’s dismantling is a risky step, and
nowadays the children who climb to the top wear helmets.
Teams
are judged not only by whether they complete their towers but also on
the complexity of the structure, akin to how jumps are rated in ice
skating competitions.
In
Valls, the winner was not decided by a panel of judges but rather by
the passion of the spectators, who scream their approval — or anguish if
the tower falls.
At
the end of the competition, Josep Maria Cortés, a member of the Colla
Joves, suggested the latest crosstown duel had yielded “perhaps a draw.”
But Joan Ibarra, the president of the Colla Vella, dismissed the notion. “We won by a mile,” he said, with a broad smile.
Some
members of the Colla Vella said they joined as children because their
family took part since the 19th century. One change, however, has been
the inclusion of female participants, particularly among the youngest
climbers.
“When
I was young, it wasn’t acceptable for a woman to get into such physical
contact with a man in public,” said Ramón San Nicolás, who is 76 and
has built castells since 1947. “But the fact is that girls are lighter
and sometimes have an even stronger grip than boys.”
After
watching the competition from the balcony of his town hall, Albert
Batet, the mayor of Valls, said he was also hopeful about Catalonia’s
progress toward statehood, drawing a comparison between the values
required to create a nation and a human tower.”
Both are proof that we can build great things if we come together,” Mr. Batet said.
The official slogan of the castells is “força, equilibri, valor i seny” — strength, balance, courage and common sense.
Castells
were recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by
Unesco in 2010, at the same time as flamenco, the quintessential dance
of southern Spain.
But
unlike flamenco, which has increasingly attracted foreign dancers and
been performed worldwide, the castells remain deeply embedded in
Catalonia, with the best teams only occasionally getting to travel to
the United States and elsewhere to showcase their skills.
Even
within Catalonia, the popularity of castells only dates to three
decades ago, when Catalonia’s newly created regional television started
to broadcast competitions.”
That
turned castells into a fashion, when before they had really only been
popular in a few towns and among humble people, like farmers and port
workers,” said Ángel Conesa, who is among the judges of the Tarragona
tournament.Catalonia now has about 60 colles, or teams, double the
amount of 25 years ago. While the two teams from Valls remain strong,
they have been beaten recently by rivals from other towns, notably
Vilafranca del Penedès.
“We are living the best and most competitive moment in the history of the castells,” said Mr. Solé Tarragó.
While
he conceded that the castells had benefited from a greater sense of
Catalan identity, he insisted the traditional and cultural significance
had not become hostage to the secessionist drive.
“The
beauty of the castells is that they are built by people of every age,
size and belief and are not about politics,” he said, “even if it’s
probable that 90 percent of those who take part would vote for
independence.”
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