The San Ginés Festivities of 2004 were arriving and at that time I was writing the series of articles "Elguinaguaria, nest of the swan". I took a break in the script and started writing about the "Sangineles". I ...
The San Ginés Festivities of 2004 were arriving and at that time I was writing the series of articles "Elguinaguaria, nest of the swan". I took a break in the script and started writing about the "Sangineles". I titled it "The Sangineles arrived, Arrecife is celebrating"
Encarna Páez was then Councilor for Festivities, and María Isabel Déniz was the mayor of Arrecife. I complained then, and I do so again now, that "If we leave it in the hands of the City Council and its Department of Festivities, (then Encarna Páez, today Víctor San Ginés), we hardly realize that the port is celebrating."
Well, yes. That is so. Except for the little flags that the people from the House of Fear put up every year around El Charco de San Ginés, nothing indicates to the residents of Arrecife, and much less to those who visit us, that today some Festivities have begun, which the City Council is in charge of repeating, and puts it on the poster and the program of events, "declared of national tourist interest".
Precisely, the town criers of this year, the Arrecife Choirs and Dance Folk Group, recalled it tonight in their beautiful, endearing and ethnographic proclamation: "At the mouth of the pier, with two white-painted drums, it was announced (something like) "Welcome to the San Ginés Festivities". With today's modernities, is it so difficult to put that up?
As I wrote in 2004, "thank goodness we all know that from mid-August, Arrecife venerates its patron saint, Bishop San Ginés,?" . But, it's annoying. Isn't it?
We, well. We know it and by word of mouth, we find out something. But, and the tourists, how do they find out? If we boast so much that they are festivals of national tourist interest, wouldn't that entail doing something to deserve such an award?
Today, commenting with several people that I would go to hear the proclamation, they were surprised because they had not found out. Despite this, El Charco was full. No matter how much the City Council neglects it, the people of Arrecife, the gurfines of the Port, are not going to stop celebrating our Sangineles.
But, well, let's talk about the Sangineles. As I said then, in 2004, "the first program of festivities that exists in the archives of the Arrecife City Council dates from 1904". Don Antonio Borges, town crier in 2004, stated in his proclamation that "? at that time, the celebration lasted no longer than the afternoon of the eve, August 25, the saint's day, and, in that specific year until the 28th, since it was Sunday."
Don Antonio Borges also said that "later, during the 1950s, without being able to specify the specific years in the parish archive, Bishop Pildain decreed that the Patron Saint should not go out in procession, due to the revelry that the festivals reached and due to the dances". The town criers of this year said that the year that San Ginés returned to the procession there was some confusion in the route and people said that "after so long without going out, The Saint did not know the way".
By the way. Today, calculating that many people would go. As I wanted to hear the proclamation well seated, I went early. I sat in the stands, very well planned, by the way, the space by the Department of Festivities. I sat at the top, right in front of the town criers' table. A few minutes before the proclamation began, I saw Don Miguel Hernández, parish priest of San Ginés al Charco, arrive. No one went to meet him, no one greeted him. The man, calmly, as no one said anything to him, dressed as a priest, went up to the stands and sat in the middle of the people, as if what was going to be proclaimed had nothing to do with the Church, nor with the parish of San Ginés, in his charge.
What a lack of respect! Of course! I am Don Miguel and the mayor and other authorities, on Saturday the 25th, the day of San Ginés, at the Saint's mass, if they want to sit down to appear on TV, let them arrive early and take a seat.
And, if the Mayor doesn't like it, let him change the Festivities of the Municipality and choose another reason other than that of San Ginés bishop.
In a few days I'll keep telling you. In the meantime, enjoy the Festivities and Long live San Ginés!!
