Carnival in Zubieta, Aurtitz and Ituren, Nafarroa

The valley of Maldaerreka is located in northern Nafarroa, and this valley belongs to the towns of Zubieta, Aurtitz, and Ituren (the neighborhood of Aurtitz officially belongs to Ituren); these towns are geographically located one after the other and it’s only a kilometer and a half that separates them.

The customs and traditions that these towns have are tied to agriculture and sheepherding, and this is very obvious during carnival. An old tradition still exists where the three towns celebrate carnival together, and they do this on the last Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday of January. This year, EuskoSare witnessed this tradition up front. One of the customs that is celebrated and is very extended throughout Euskal Herria: gathering “puskak” (things); some of the neighbors go from house to house gathering “puskak”, in other words, food for supper.

Going from one town to the next by foot
Around noon on the Monday of the joaldunak, the neighbors of Zubieta set off on foot towards the next town, to Aurtitz, where the joaldunak of the town get together, and after having walked through the town, they all eat together. Immediately, they reach Ituren and they enter the town with the joaldunak of Ituren; and all together they sound the “joareak” through the streets. However, on Tuesday, it’s the people of Ituren that repay the visit after having passed previously through Aurtitz.

The joaldunak leave the streets many times during the entire year: on the eve of the Three Kings they walk the same route mentioned above between midnight and 6 am; during carnival; during the festivities of their patron saint (only in Zubieta); and on Joaldunen Eguna (Day of the Joaldunak) which is celebrated on the third weekend of September (only in Ituren).

Joaldunak: a tradition belonging to Zubieta, Aurtitz, and Ituren
Those that are “joaldun” are those persons wearing “joareak” or cowbells hanging from their waists. It is not known exactly since when this tradition has been celebrated, put it is estimated that its history goes back many centuries.

In regards to the costumes, those of Zubieta dress in thick sheepskins and petticoats. However, those of Aurtitz and Ituren wear petticoats, two sheepskins and two small cowbells in addition to the pair of big cowbells. That pair of joareak or big cowbells are tied to the waist with a long cord; on their head they wear the ttuntturro, in other words, a hat in the shape of a cone that the characters of carnival in Nafarroa wear, and in their hands they carry the azote. Although the majority of them are men, women and children also sound the joareak.

The joareak tend to be made of brass or metal and have a coat of copper. Each joare or cowbell weighs 3 or 4 kilos; each joaldun has to clang 8 kilos in total.
In ancient times, the joaldunak would carry the sheepskin and joareak; the ttuntturro and the petticoats are elements that have been added on in the last 100 years.

It is said that in the old days the sheepherders used the joareak to protect the sheep from the wolf; together with the joaldunak of Ituren and Aurtitz, the character of the bear exists; it represents the character that scares the wolf who is about to attack the sheep. On the other hand, others believe that the joareak serve to strip evil spirits away, and also there are some that believe they were used to interrupt the meetings that the witches held.

The steps of the joaldunak
The joaldunak take a step or a short skip so that they can make their joreak clang. When they begin to clang altogether with the echo of the cowbell sounds, the entire valley is taken over by the sound.

In recent years there have been many variations; the joaldunak of Zubieta and Ituren make the cowbells clang once per step or skip; on the other hand, those from Aurtitz produce the clang with each step they take.

Joaldunak Associations
It’s been two years since associations have been created in these three localities in order to protect the identity of the joaldunak; that is how the associations “Zubietako Joaldunen Elkartea, Aurtizko Joaldunen Elkartea, and Iturengo Joaldunen Elkartea have come about. Together with the associations, the city halls of the towns of Zubieta and Ituren are working together to salvage their own identity of this custom. In these three localities there is an increasing worry for the creation of other groups of joaldunak that have been emerging in some areas of Euskal Herria; their hope is to educate that the joaldunak and the tradition of clanging the joareak originated in Zubieta, Aurtitz, and Ituren, and they are working intensely to maintain that identity.

The joaldunak of these three associations participate in various events and festivities that are celebrated throughout Euskal Herria.

The very entertaining disguises
The other protagonists of carnival are the different disguises; the neighbors of these towns have the tradition to dress up in costume; in whatever material or old tools that will work, some of those are related to agriculture and the ancient trades. Some of the disguises travel on carriages through the town; meanwhile the disguises tend to mock modern day society.

More information:
See carnival photos from Zubieta, Aurtitz, and Ituren.
To get in contact with the associations of the Joaldunak, contact the city hall of Zubieta (948 450 161) or the city hall of Ituren (948 450 302)
See the website of Euskomedia Fundazioa for the popular song about the joareak creator.