Penya Com a Gambes offer a musical tour of Xàbia to learn more about the Fogueres

Tuesday 13th June 2023
Álvaro Monfort

This Sunday, Penya Com a Gambes has organised a musical guided tour through the streets of the historic centre of Xàbia to give the foreign community of the town a chance to learn more about the Fogueres de Sant Joan de Xàbia, the biggest party of the year. Álvaro Monfort at Xàbiaaldia.com has written a marvellous piece about the initiative and we have re-produced it below in English.

Xàbia is a multicultural municipality, the result of the courageous decision of many foreign residents who have decided to make the town their place of residence and an enclave to build their future. It is nothing new. The foreign community has been part of the xabiera citizenship for decades and is a powerful group made up of 12,633 registered people. To this number should be added those that are not yet in the system.

However, the integration is not yet complete. Obviously, the differences between those residents of foreign origin who have settled in the municipality as adults and the sons and daughters of international fathers and mothers born in Xàbia are noticeable. The cultural richness of the latter is much greater because they have grown up assimilating both that of their families and the locals.

Those who are trying to make the town’s identity and culture known to the local foreign community are Mike Smith and Fay Hughes. They are the most international xabieros. Through javeamigos.com they try to narrate the way the population feels through their own eyes and their own personal experiences.

What’s the best way to live this need to share the festive atmosphere in the street for ten days [during San Juan]? Having a Penya Santjoanera. No sooner said than done. They “appropriate” the Spanish expression associated with the English “toasted” by the sun and create Penya Com a Gambes to try to spread that spirit, inherent to the xabieros and xabieres, to their British friends. And what’s the best way to feel that ecstasy between the nerve and the emotion that every member of a Filà of the Moors and Christians say they experience when they go through the archway of Pius X? Becoming part of a Filà and experiencing it in the first person.

Mike and Fay have proposed to infect all foreigners with the xabiero gene and begin by demonstrating that the Fogueres fiesta is not only experienced on the night of the 23rd with the Nit dels Focs or on the 24th with the fireworks display and the burning. Both have learned that, regardless of whether they like the act or not, participating in the fiesta means letting themselves be carried away by its community atmosphere, by the music as a background echo, by the colorful shirts, decorations, lights, clothing and ninots. For sitting in the middle of the street chatting while waiting for the parade to arrive and complaining that they have covered your hair with confetti when everyone knows that they have not been good floats without confetti, even in thought.

For this reason, as part of this year’s Fogueres programme, on Sunday June 18th, the Penya Com a Gambes wants to transfer all this through a tour narrated in the first person based on their own experiences. No prior registration is required and participation is free.

The route will be in English and will start from Plaza de la Constitución at 11.00am and will be accompanied by music from Xaranga Toca’t un Ou. Although it is especially aimed at the foreign community, it is also open to all xabieros and xabieres who wish to know the international vision of foreigners in the municipality and even provide additional information. It is also recommended to wear something red to make it more festive together with the members of the penya.

¡Muchas gracias, Alvaro!

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