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| Castellers | |
|---|---|
| Name | Castellers |
| Caption | A castell during the ``festa major'' in Vilafranca del Penedès |
| Country | Catalonia, Spain |
| Region | Catalonia |
| Established | 18th century (modern revival late 19th century) |
| Governing body | Coordinadora de Colles Castelleres de Catalunya |
Castellers are human tower builders originating in Catalonia whose performances combine community organization, athletic skill, and ritualized choreography; these towers are assembled by volunteer teams at public festivals, competitions, and commemorations in cities such as Barcelona, Vic, Valls, and Tàrrega. The practice bridges popular culture, local identity, and intangible heritage, attracting attention from institutions like UNESCO, media outlets, and academic researchers at universities such as the University of Barcelona and the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Castellers performances occur alongside other Catalan traditions like the ``sardana and the ``gegants during events including the Festa Major de Gràcia and the La Mercè festival.
The origins trace to 18th-century human tower traditions in the towns of Valls, Vilafranca del Penedès, and Tarragona, influenced by earlier Iberian and Mediterranean public spectacles such as correfocs and street processions tied to guilds and confraternities; the modern codification emerged during the late 19th-century industrial and cultural revival linked with the Renaixença and the creation of civic institutions like the Institut d'Estudis Catalans. Throughout the 20th century casteller activity persisted and adapted through political upheavals including the Spanish Civil War and the Francoist Spain era, with a notable post-Franco resurgence connected to the restoration of municipal festivals and the expansion of civic associations like the Coordinadora de Colles Castelleres de Catalunya. Key developments include technical innovations introduced by teams from Valls and Vilafranca del Penedès and organizational professionalization influenced by models from cultural movements such as the Catalan National Day mobilizations.
Teams, known as colles, are structured around leadership roles including the cap de colla, trainers, and coordinators who liaise with municipal authorities like the Ajuntament de Barcelona; membership often spans unions, civic groups, and cultural organizations such as local neighbourhood associations participating in festivals like Festa Major de Gràcia. Roles within a performance include base castellers, tronc builders, enxaneta climbers, and the pinya which functions as a crowd-supported foundation—a division coordinated by directors who may engage with emergency services like the Creu Roja de Catalunya and municipal safety brigades. Many colles maintain relationships with cultural institutions such as the Museu d'Història de Catalunya and collaborate with sports organizations including regional federations for training, youth outreach, and intercultural exchanges with bodies like the Ajuntament de Vic.
Castells are classified by number of levels and persons per level, producing named structures such as the tres de nou, quatre de nou amb folre, and the torre de nou, technical forms developed and perfected by historic teams from Valls and Vilafranca del Penedès. Complex variants include the torre, pilar, and carro structures; reinforced forms like the folre and manilles originated in response to higher towers attempted by colles such as Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls and Castellers de Vilafranca. Performance protocols reference turn-based attempts or rondes during competitions like the Concurs de Castells de Tarragona and festive showcases in plazas such as Plaça Sant Jaume where judges from federations and cultural councils evaluate completion, stability, and aesthetics.
Training regimes combine physical conditioning, balance drills, and role-specific techniques taught in rehearsal spaces, municipal gyms, and open squares under supervision by experienced cap de colla and coaches often affiliated with sports medicine units at hospitals like Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Safety procedures include progressive skill ladders, spotter formation in the pinya, and medical coordination with emergency services such as the Sistema d'Emergències Mèdiques; equipment standards feature traditional sashes (faixa), helmets for children, and occasional use of crash mats during practice, with protocols disseminated by organizations including the Coordinadora de Colles Castelleres de Catalunya and municipal cultural departments.
Castells play a central role in civic rituals, appearing at municipal celebrations such as La Mercè, national commemorations like the Diada Nacional de Catalunya, and religious festivities tied to patron saints in towns like Valls and Vilafranca del Penedès; their presence reinforces local identity and intergenerational transmission of intangible practices documented by cultural bodies, museums, and archives. They intersect with Catalan cultural expressions exemplified by collaborations with the Orfeó Català, participation in folk festivals alongside the sardana, and representation in media outlets like TV3 and national newspapers such as La Vanguardia, further embedding towers into regional narratives and tourism strategies managed by tourism boards like the Agència Catalana de Turisme.
Prominent colles include Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls, Castellers de Vilafranca, Colla Joves Xiquets de Valls, Minyons de Terrassa, and Castellers de Barcelona, each known for landmark achievements such as first complete executions of nine-level castells, multiple victories at the Concurs de Castells de Tarragona, and innovations like the quatre de nou amb folre i manilles. Record attempts and historic feats often involve rivalries and collaborations among teams from Valls, Vilafranca del Penedès, Terrassa, and Barcelona, drawing coverage from cultural institutions, academic researchers at the Pompeu Fabra University, and archives like the Arxiu Nacional de Catalunya.
The practice has spread through diaspora communities, cultural exchanges, and formal invitations leading to international colles and demonstrations in cities such as Paris, London, New York City, Buenos Aires, and Lisbon, involving partnerships with cultural centers like the Institut Ramon Llull and consular networks. Recognition includes inscription of the tradition by organizations like UNESCO on lists of intangible cultural heritage and scholarly attention from anthropology departments at institutions such as the University of Oxford and the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, while international festivals and municipal partnerships promote training exchanges and invitational performances worldwide.
Category:Catalan culture