Spain: Religion, costumes and conquests - all a town needs to party

The annual Moors and Christian festival gives the residents of Moraira a chance to revel in their Islamic ancestry

People dressed as Moors perform on a boat off the coast of Villajoyosa during the Moors and Christians festivities. Photograph: Jose Jordan/AFP/Getty Images

A small army of "Moors", made up of shopkeepers, bar owners, bakers and schoolchildren of Moraira, conquered the town's castle, a small fort no bigger than a cottage, last month. The next day it was liberated by their "Christian" counterparts in a gripping battle on the beach. So began Moraira's Moors and Christians festival, a copy (and one of many in Spain) of a celebration that began in the 16th century in the town of Alcoy to commemorate a landmark battle in 1276.

Moors conquered everywhere but the very north of Spain in the eighth century. Over the following centuries the Christians retook the country in the Christian Reconquista until, by the 1500s, most Muslims had either converted or been expelled.

In contrast to Spain's modern reputation for being inward-looking and hostile to African neighbours, Spaniards actually are curious about their North African past. Many wish to trace their ancestors back to the Moors and are proud of the magnificent Islamic architecture scattered across the country.

In Moraira, on the coast between Valencia and Alicante, everyone wants to be a Moor. Due to better dye techniques, Moorish clothing was brighter and more sophisticated. In contrast to the magnificent, yet cumbersome armour of the Christians, the Moors float down the street, resplendent in yellow and purple chiffon. Young girls show off their belly-dancing moves and jugglers entertain the crowd. Foreigners are welcome to participate and a number of British and German retirees can be seen strutting down the street in full battle dress, flanked by a crowd shouting compliments they do not understand.

Historical re-enactments, however, cost money and the financial burden on participants is huge: $490 per adult and $122 for a child – a vast amount when you consider a decent white-collar wage here is $1,840 a month, while blue-collar workers earn as little as $980. The money pays for the fiesta, along with a small donation from the local council.

So why do they do it? Some say it's tradition, others say the planning gives people something to do in the winter. "It's a fiesta!" exclaims Susanna, a teacher in the local school. "There is no reason. It's a wonderful time to get together, dress up and eat great food."

In Spain, even a 700-year-old battle is a chance to party.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jul/06/letter-from-spain-moors-christians