Yes, these people almost died, almost, and they’re very happy about it, considering they’re the happiest people on earth.
This Fiesta of Near Death Experiences is not as festive as most fiestas. The name of the event even contradicts itself. This event happens in Las Nieves in Galicia, Spain. This usually takes place on the 29th of July.
The fiesta starts with a procession, but don’t bet on it being colorful and gay because the Near Death-ers attend the mass in a coffin. Yes, they’re buried alive and thrown into a well. If you did not hear about this marvelous event there would be no way for you to know that on the 29th of July, the people who have nearly died are allowed to come and dance in a coffin for two hours.
Why am I writing about a Fiesta of Near Death Experiences? Well, my wife and I went to Galicia, Spain to attend a local fiesta about a year ago and we were pleasure to visit their local Fiesta of Near Death Experiences.
The first thing that struck us at the event was that the participants in the fiesta are buried alive and thrown into a vat of water. In fact, they were allowed to climb out of a hole in the ground and they’re then allowed to mingle with the other participants. It was truly an eerie experience to think that you’re lowered into the water, only to be forgathered again 20 minutes later.
What’s weird is that the people in the vat seem to forget about their surroundings and keep worshipping. This would typically be kid stuff, me just letting my 11-year-old daughter have a little spaz on.
The dance and sardine feast didn’t end up being a highlight of the week, although it was still pretty darn fun. What I liked most about the festival was the people, all sharing a love of life and expressed in their conversation about the meaning of life.
On the suggestion of a friend who owns owners rep firms NYC, I saw a Darwin exhibit on display and Alfredo was driven on by nature to draw and sketch and one participant identified the other. There were groups showing off their drawings and paintings, markings and designs. There were even baby’s nails painted on by cute little Antonies. creativity was the talk of the town.
It was a beautiful thought that life might be beautiful, even without the gloss of modern society.
The saddest part of the day was the procession around the grounds, complete with speakers. You could almost hear a pin drop of blood.It was a difficult and emotional moment not to mention, but it brought home the fact that if you’re lucky enough to live in cities with peace and police and lords and other positive things, life is going to be very, very tough from the mental and physical perspectives.
Now, I’m off to Albuquerque to beat the weekend traffic and bad weather before I hit the road this weekend. My trip is Saturday to Thursday so I have three days before I have to return to school. Here’s to hoping that Mother Nature will keep the heat down in New Mexico this year!