HOLIDAYS WE NO LONGER CELEBRATE

Villamesías used to be a very festive town, but nowadays it no longer celebrates the Day of Christwhich took place on September 14. It is also not celebrated on February 2 Las Candelas, The oral tradition informs us that the procession of the Virgin was carried out with a lighted candle and, all the people who go also carry a lighted candle in their hands, if the candle that carries the Virgin enters unlit it is a bad year, if on the contrary it enters lit, the year will be prosperous for all.

It used to be the City Hall that was in charge of buying candles for all those who participated in the procession, now it is the priest who is in charge of this.

The religious events in honor of the Virgin of the Rosary are not celebrated either. Virgin of the Rosaryon the first Sunday of October.

We also present the festivities that were organized on Shrove Tuesday: They began with the party of “los tiznotes”, which consisted of the local youths preparing a cork with a stick and going out to paint all the women and unmarried girls; this activity lasted until 12:00 in the morning; after that, no one could be painted. For some years the Associations have been in charge of making migas for the whole town, with their chorizo and bacon. In the afternoon “La Boda de los Muñecos” (The Wedding of the Dolls) took place, this tradition comes from centuries, it was forbidden for some years, two dolls were prepared: Mr. and Mrs.; the name changed according to the people who stood out during the year, both nationally and internationally. They are dressed in jurramachoa typical Extremaduran wedding takes place, with its priest, altar boys, parents, guests, etc.

Once the ceremony was over, the Baile de la Daga or Baile de la Manzana was prepared, in which sweets and sangria were distributed to all participants, followed by the chirigotas and prizes for the best costumes. When night came the bride and groom (dolls) were burned in the bonfire (they are filled with firecrackers), in the middle of the square. Once the fire is low, the participants jumped to say goodbye to the bride and groom until next year.

A resident of the municipality, Celestino Muñana Pizarro, has preserved the ethnographic utensils of his family and friends in two warehouses where we can enjoy a wide variety of pieces dating from the pre-industrial period from the late nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century, creating an authentic Ethnographic Museum of goods in the street Pepe Casco, number 21. The pieces are arranged by theme or work. A peculiarity of this sample is that all the utensils correspond to Villamesías, to a rural society, dedicated to livestock and agriculture. A highly didactic museum aimed at all ages, providing visitors with an insight into the rural lifestyle of our ancestors.