For centuries, Andalusia has welcomed May with various celebrations that have evolved over time. In Roman times, there was the worship of Maya and later, in pre-Christian periods, the worship of the May Tree. The Crosses as we know them today emerged from a process of Christianization by the Catholic Church. In the past, they were widespread throughout the region, but over the centuries each one has acquired its own uniqueness, differentiating itself from others.
BACKGROUND
With the arrival of May and good weather, many towns celebrate the ripening crops on this date. There are several hypotheses about the origin of the name of the third month in the Roman calendar. One suggests it may be because it is the month when ancestors were venerated, the maiores. The other theory, which has more support, states that it was dedicated to the worship of the goddess Maya, responsible for agricultural fertility. In reference to the latter, ancient Romans organized numerous ceremonies to celebrate the rebirth of plant life, which took place on the calends (the first day of each Roman month) (Caro Baroja, 1979: 86-87).
With Christianity, there was a search for the veneration of the Finding of the Cross, celebrating its discovery by Constantine's mother, Saint Helena, who collected various relics of Christ throughout her life. This event has been attributed to May 3rd since the fourth century. However, traditional crosses as we know them today had their first celebrations in the seventeenth century with the appearance of brotherhoods around the Christian symbol of the Cross (Rodríguez, 2004: 2).
Social and religious changes have made it so that in recent times, May crosses no longer serve their original purpose of idolizing nature or Christ, with recreational, identity-building, festive, and social functions predominating over religious ones. Initially celebrated during the first two weekends of May, they continue throughout the month in certain areas. Currently, May crosses are outside the liturgical calendar (Rodríguez, 2004: 2, 10).
The May Crosses are a festival with significant anthropological weight, where the character of different Andalusian towns is displayed. Despite being called the same and celebrated at the same time, each locality celebrates them differently. For this reason, they have been grouped into two types: the first corresponds to those crosses mounted by neighborhood participation, where the informal nature of the festival predominates without highlighting its religious aspect; the second responds to festivals organized around brotherhoods and mayordomías where the True Cross is venerated (Rodríguez, 2004: 1).
In many towns of Andalusian geography, these celebrations continue, such as Alhama de Almería, Puente Genil, Ubrique, Aguilar de la Frontera, Añora, Cañete de las Torres, Dólar, Baza, Rociana del Condado, Villarrasa, Berrocal (Photo 2), Bonares, La Palma del Condado, Jimena, Torrox, among other localities.
MAY FAIR OF WOMEN (LEBRIJA, SEVILLE)
In Lebrija, an agricultural town located in the Guadalquivir marshes, this ancient tradition continues. Its crosses, also known as "The Women's Fair," attract people of all ages and social classes from its beginnings, not only from the same municipality but also from neighboring towns and villages. The reason for their celebration (as in many other places) was to exalt the Holy Cross; however, today the motivations are different. It is considered one of the most typical and popular festivals in Lebrija. Young people and older folks gather around a cross to sing and dance to the sound of Corraleras (traditional Sevillian songs that take their name from the old Neighborhood Courtyards, characterized by treating everyday topics and their wit) (Núñez, 2019: 230-232). Added to this is its cuisine, with notable dishes such as broad beans, tortas, and snails. In Lebrija's crosses, women have played a very important role, hence the title "Women's Fair."
"Dressing" a cross was like a rite in the neighborhood; it constituted already a fair. A group of neighbors, generally the same year after year, mostly women, took care of all the work (Romero et al., 2014). Nowadays, not only residents of one neighborhood take charge of setting up this structure but also associations and brotherhoods. After Holy Week, women start organizing everything necessary for this festival.
The installation itself has its own procedure where women play the decisive role. The older ones are those who direct how to decorate the Cross and how to distribute space while men only participate in activities that require more effort such as placing lights, cables, etc. First, a kind of altar is built in which the Cross (at the highest point) is found. In many cases, the cross is in an alcove in the middle of the street. Around the Cross are placed all other decorative objects: plates, jars, vases, mirrors, metal objects, pots, etc. (Photo 4). All this arranged in a peculiar way distinguishing one from another. In front of this altar sits a stage for dancing. This forms a kind of booth or patio (Romero et al., 2014; Rodríguez, 2014: 7).
The essential element, besides the Cross, is the woman. She organizes the stage, creates songs and passes on her knowledge from generation to generation. It is a symbol of empowerment for women in a macho society as it was decades ago (and in many aspects today) (Rodríguez, 2014: 6).
In the case of the death of a neighbor or mourning, that year's cross from that neighborhood is not set up as a sign of respect, solidarity and unity. The installation process today is exactly the same.
THE CROSS AND THE TOWN
The May Crosses are festivals where children and elders have a place (Photo 6). People of all ages participate. Not only in the present day, but since the beginning as well. It is also worth noting that this festival was for everyone; although mostly farmers and other lower social sectors participated, the elite and rich people from town attended too. This shows that the Crosses' festival has been, and continues to be, an event without exclusion.
Photo 6: Young and old singing Corraleras. Author: Andrés Zambrano. Source.
It is very common to see during these days how heterogeneous groups form in terms of age, culture, profession or social condition. Many people from neighboring towns and various points of Spain also attend. People gather around the Cross to sing and dance. These groups visit each gathering point while singing and dancing on their way.
The crosses can never be left alone; women who have set them up sit around them all night with tambourines and jars to sing and dance, thus keeping the Cross company throughout the night.
Crosses have been regulated, persecuted, and even banned by civil and ecclesiastical authorities over time justifying it in many cases because they produced a lot of scandal and for exposing the Holy Cross in public with profane decorations.
The May Cross festival was an event eagerly awaited by the whole town. It has fulfilled primarily the function of facilitating pairing as it was the occasion when men could dance with women they liked (Rodríguez, 2014: 6). It also serves an expressive purpose since through them the town manifests its belonging, social and cultural identity to Lebrija. The May Crosses of Lebrija are a festival declared of "National Tourist Interest" in Andalusia since 2001.
FINAL CONCLUSIONS
This annual event has changed over time as a result of socio-economic and cultural changes but without losing its folkloric essence. From the preparations to their end, crosses have brought together hundreds of people around them creating strong bonds of unity among participants. These factors, along with other unique characteristics (such as Lebrija's cuisine and dances in this festival), make the Crosses' festival a very suitable topic for studying and analyzing from an ethnographic and anthropological point of view.
LYRICS OF A LEBRIJA CORRALERA
The Hare
The hare
Said the hare
said the hare.
Said the hare when jumping
the stream, ripitá mirá
said the hare when jumping
the stream maribé ué
And said the hare help me patitá,
ripitá mirá
that the greyhound is coming help me patitá maribé ué
And said the greyhound help me patitá, ripitá mirá
that I have it loaded help me patitá maribé ue
BIBLIOGRAPHY
CARO BAROJA, Julio, (1979): The Love Season. Popular May to St. John's Festivals, Taurus, Madrid.
Núñez-González, María. (2019). Corrales de vecinos en la Sevilla del Siglo de Oro.. Laboratorio de Arte. 229-246. 10.12795/LA.2019.i31.13.
Rodríguez-Becerra, Salvador. (2004). THE MAY CROSSES IN ANDALUCIA History and Anthropology of a Festival.
ROMERO FALCÓN, Brígida; BELLIDO JAÉN, J.F; PARDAL REDONDO, Araceli (2014): ¡De Cruces hasta el Día! [DVD], Lebrija.
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