| The Moors and Christians fiesta is the main annual festival in Moraira, and it takes place on the 3rd weekend in June. It is a re-enactment of the Moors' Islamic invasion of Spain which began approximately in the year 710, and La Reconquista (the later Christian conquest of the Moors).
La Reconquista led to the Spanish Inquisition which was established in 1478 by the Catholic monarchs of the time in order to replace the medieval inquisition which had been under papal control. The purpose of the Inquisition was to force Jews, Muslims and, indeed, everyone to adopt, on pain of death, the Christian religion. La Reconquista was complete by around 1490. The Inquisition was finally abolished in 1834. [ Ref: Wikipedia ] |
Mike Lawson Webmaster |
| All photos by Phil Chaney
(Moraira Moors & Christians June 2009) |
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Moors preparing for battle |
Christian camp |
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There are many autonomous "filaes" (Valenciano for "groups")
and each spends a great deal of time and energy preparing their elaborate and colourful costumes and accessories. |
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On the Saturday and through till Wednesday there are concerts and competitions in the town. On the Thursday, there is the formal parade of the filaes and the official start of the fiestas with the raising of the Central Committee's flag and firing of blunderbusses at the castle. Also, on the castle promenade, we see the standard bearers of each filà along with the Christian and Moorish Ambassadors followed by the Presentation of Standards of each filà. Then everyone dances the night away. | |
| On the Friday there is more firing of the blunderbusses at the castle, informal parade of the filaes, and in the evening the spectacular arrival of the Moors from the sea. They disembark onto the beach and the battle commences ending with them taking the castle.
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| Early Saturday morning there is a general reveille with more firing of blunderbusses, more informal parades of the filaes, and in the evening another spectacular battle culminating in the Christians retaking the castle - plenty of guns and gunpowder once again! | ||
| The week's fiesta ends on the Sunday with another wake-up with firing of blunderbusses, more informal parades and, in the evening ending around 11.00pm, the 4 hour formal parade of all the colourful participating Moors and Christians. The bands belonging to each filà play music and bang drums appropriate to whether the filà is Moor or Christian. The night finally ends with a spectacular firework display. | 
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