TRADITION AND FESTIVITIES
Tradition, festivals and sports, the soul of our community
Reviving our folklore and celebrating our patron saints' days
The popular restlessness recovers and maintains folklore and recreates traditions, patron saint festivals and pilgrimages. There is no lack of rural and autochthonous sports, inheritance and fruit of an ancestral way of life.
The carnivals of Mundaka
They are unique and singular carnivals, also called Aratuste. Men and women take to the streets. They, the Atorrak, in the morning and dressed in a white skirt, blouse and pants, and a hood and colorful scarf; and they, the lamiak, in the afternoon, dressed in black and with their faces made up in white. The music is another of the great protagonists, because both the atorrak and the lamiak liven up the atmosphere with cheerful melodies.
Last Monday of Gernika
Lunes gernikes, "kolperik bez", "Monday gernikes, ni golpe", so goes the popular saying, which gives an indication of the historical importance of the market of Gernika. Every Monday, without exception, producers of the region come to this traditional market located in the center of the town. It is the best opportunity to buy tomatoes, beans or exceptional Gernika peppers, but also cheeses, vegetables, fruits, or even clothes, flowers and all kinds of accessories, a place of great animation in which the gastronomic richness of the region and the work of our baserritarras are put in value, and this Monday gernikes is magnified during the month of October, with the First and Last Monday of October. On the first Monday of October, in addition to the traditional market, an important livestock exhibition is held. And on the last Monday of October, the market takes to the streets to celebrate a massive agricultural market attended by producers and visitors from all over the Basque Country.
Madalena
It is celebrated on July 22, and it is an appointment that all the neighbors of Urdaibai point in their agenda. A festival of seafaring tradition held jointly by the municipalities of Bermeo, Elantxobe and Mundaka and that has as its origin a curious history.In a festive atmosphere of twinning between the towns of Bermeo, Mundaka and Elantxobe, the people of Bermeo confirm their ownership of the island in a traditional seafaring procession, in which the mayor of Bermeo throws a tile into the sea while, in a reaffirmation of the possession of the island, proclaims: "up to here come the leaks of Bermeo" ("honaino heltzen dira Bermeoko itxuginak" in Basque), A party that starts very early in the morning, where good atmosphere, music and good humor reign. Some decide to celebrate it in Bermeo, others in Elantxobe, and those who have a boat are lucky enough to join the official procession and enjoy a lively crossing. It is also characteristic to dress in blue, with mahon garments, typical clothing of our arrantzales.