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Castell



During Catalonian festivities, human towers are built by amateur groups as part of a tradition known as Castell. In Catalan, the word Castell means castle, but in English, it means human tower. The traditional setting for a Castell is the square in front of the town hall balcony. The first documented appearance of Castells was during a religious festival in Tarragona in the eighteenth century. With the industrialization of the nineteenth century, they became a traditional practice, central to nationalist celebrations. Toward the end of the nineteenth century, a period known as the "Golden Era of Castells," human towers were built on up to nine levels, with people standing on one another's shoulders.

Castellers build the towers by standing on the shoulders of one another. These towers consist of six to ten stages (three levels to the second level) of heavier men supporting smaller, lighter-weight boys and girls. The tronc, or second level, of the tower, generally contains two to five older men supporting younger, lighter-weight boys or girls. The pom de dalt, or third level, comprises young children. Anyone may make up the pinya, or throng, which serves as the base of the tower. Each group can be identified by its costume, primarily the colors of its shirts, while the cummerbund protects the back as it is gripped by Castellers to climb up the tower. Before, during, and after the performance, musicians play a variety of songs on a wind instrument known as a Gralla, which is used to set the rhythm by which the tower rises.

For a castell to be considered successful, it must be assembled and disassembled in order. The assembly is complete once all Castellers have been assigned their place, and the enxaneta climbs to the top of the castell. The enxaneta raises one hand before climbing down the other side of the castell, descending in order from the highest to lowest level until all Castellers are reached safely. A typical Castellers' uniform is white trousers, a black sash (faixa), a bandana (mocador), and a shirt in a characteristic color of a specific colla, frequently bearing the team's emblem. Castellers de Barcelona wear red shirts, whereas Castellers de Vilafranca wear green shirts and are called "els verds" due to their uniforms.

Eventually, this traditional practice became more enthralling in urban settings, rather than just rural ones. Team members gained social prestige, and also underwent a process of internal democratization, allowing women into the groups. They also received professional training, with regular team practices and a study of technique. Towns began to financially support a growing number of groups. Previously visible only in southern Catalonia, the tradition has spread across the entire country. It has become one of the most representative Catalan cultural practices. Today, the traditions are practiced by more than 15,000 people in over 100 groups across Catalonia. With such transformations, this Catalan culture has demonstrated its ability to evolve and adapt to new situations, bringing both tradition and modernity together.

References

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