The La Panoya Folkloric Group of the Asturian Center of Santa Fe organizes the traditional San Juan Festival on Saturday, June 29, at the Center’s headquarters (Urquiza 3750), at 5 p.m. An afternoon of celebration will be held around the traditional bonfire, where good wishes will be thrown to purify them and bad wishes to be burned. There will be folk dances, fountain arbors, Asturian “espicha” (food) with typical dishes, Celtic music and a bowling game demonstration. Tickets can be purchased at the door on the same day. It is not suspended by rain.
It is worth remembering that in Asturias, the night of San Xuan, and its dawn, “is a magical moment”, and rare is the Asturian population that does not celebrate this festival. As for the origin, June 21 is celebrated in the northern hemisphere, the longest day of the year: the summer solstice. It is definitely not a day like the others, nature, man and the stars are preparing to celebrate a party, loaded with great power and magic; Farmers give thanks for the summer, the harvests, the fruits and for having more hours to carry out their tasks. It is also the right time to ask for the fertility of the earth and of men themselves.
The celebration of the summer solstice is as old as humanity. At first it was believed that the sun would not return to its full splendor, because after this date in the northern hemisphere the days were increasingly shorter. For this reason, bonfires and fire rituals of all kinds were started on Midsummer’s Eve, or June 20, to symbolize the power of the sun and help it renew its energy.
The Asturian Folklore Group La Panoya is located in the Asturian Center of Santa Fe. Its objective is to revive and spread all Asturian traditions, through dances, songs, the sound of the bagpipes and all the typical customs of that land.
In 1946, the first group La Panoya was created, which was responsible for performing musical and theater works. Remembering that, in 1997 a group of ladies began to meet at the center’s headquarters, encouraged by the idea of recovering the social and cultural activities that characterized the community and that some still remember today. Pilgrimage, plays, dances and large lunches bring together the large Asturian and Spanish community.
The group was formed over the years, thanks to its members who contributed their memories, experiences or simply their love for the distant land of their ancestors. To date, he has participated in numerous provincial, national and international events bringing his dances, songs, color and joy to all his spectators. It is currently directed by the instructors of traditional Asturian culture and dance María Marcela Codes García and Julia García Puente.
