#tintobre

Inktober day 11: Vella Quaresma

Vella Quaresma, also known as Jaia Quaresma (in Mallorca) and Àvia Quaresma (in Menorca) is the representation of Lent in the Catalan Countries, her name translates literally to "Old Lady Lent" or "Grandma Lent".

Lent, in Christianity is the 40 day period between Ash Wednesday and Holy Thursday. It's a time of fasting and abstinence, mirroring the 40 days Jesus spent alone in the desert. In Catalonia it's tradition to not eat meat and instead eat fish, specially on fridays.

Vella Quaresma, as said before, is the representation of Lent and the opposite of "Rei Carnestoltes" (King Carnival), who's a character who presides all activities during Carnival just before Lent. While Rei Carnestoltes represents fun and transgression, Vella Quaresma represents abstinence and penitence.

👀

(Enllaç al tuit)

Inktober day 4: Fada

Fada means fairy in catalan, but they're not really like pixies or the like. In catalan mythology, fairies refers to water spirits who live in a number of water bodies (be it rivers, springs, lakes or ravines). These spirits are called a myriad of names depending on the region, some of the most common are "dona d'aigua" (water woman), "dona de fum i d'aigua" (smoke and water woman), "aloja", "goja", "encantada"(bewitched) or "paitida".

Inktober day 3: Gambutzí

Gambutzí (also known as "gambosí") is a little being without a set apperance found in multiple regions of the Iberian peninsula and is used to play pranks on kids, hunters or newbie fishermen. The most common prank is telling somebody that the gambutzí is an elusive animal that can only be caught during a starry night.

Inktober day 2: Lo Marraco

Inktober day 13: Maruga

Maruga is a miniature being that lives in fresh water, be it rivers or lakes, who enters the body of maidens who drink it's water. Once inside Maruga will pinch them and leave the maiden pregnant.

There's a corranda (a type of song dansed by couples) from Alt Empordà that says:

"Ai noies que aneu a l'aigua, que aneu a rentar a la Muga: mireu que us heu de guardar d'un pessic de sa Maruga."

Which translates to:

Inktober day 10: Home de neu

Home de neu (snow man), also known as "Gegant de la neu" (Giant of the snow), comes from a story told in the comarques (Catalonia's internal divisions) of Ripollès and Cerdanya.

The story goes that and old childless marriage had to get on their house's roof to take down the snow that had accumulated after a seven day long snowstorm. The snow fell in front of the door and while the husband worked, the wife made a little snowman, which she after dressed with girl clothes. This snowman came to life, to the couple's utmost surprise. They decided to raise the snowgirl as their own child, but unfortunetly when spring came, the snowgirl melted like the rest of snow. The next winter, they tried again, this time but making a boy. But like the snowgirl the year before, the snowboy also melted once spring came.

Inktober day 1: Cocollona

Ok, this year I'm really gonna do this Inktober about catalan mythology.