The masquerades of Mataró

- The Robafaves Family. There are records of the Giants of Mataró dating back to the XVII century. The Robafaves family is formed by: Robafaves and the Giant, his daughter Toneta and her husband, Maneló. These giants are greatly loved by the people of Mataro. Robafaves has his own legend surrounding the origin of his name. From the various variations, we choose the story which Joan Amades describes in his book “Giants, dwarves and other aperitives”: “Once the Giants of Mataró went to Argentona and when, after the festival has finished, they were  going back home, the giant bearers fell in love with some lovely broad beans which were growing in a field on the side of the road. Unable to resist temptation, they abandoned their puppets in the middle of the road and rushed into the field to steal a good number of  the beans, which they hid in the tummy of the Giant; then they made a deal with the flabiol player and told him that they would go halfway, but only if he did not reveal their secret. The giant couple, on entering Mataró, were surrounded by a group of small children who begged them to dance. The geganters (giants bearers) tried to resist, given that the large load they were carrying made it difficult for them to dance; they did dance, however, and the bumps they made while dancing made the broad beans fall to the ground. The enjoyment and laughter was great and from then on, the poor Giant has been called Robafaves (The Bean robber), through no fault of his own."

 

 

- The dwarves. At present there are eighteen dwarves who delight the young children with their jumping around and dancing. They are: the Idiot, the Farmer, the Witch, the serious Macer, the royal Macer, the Goblin, the Harlequin, the Chinese, the Mulatto, the Earl, the Moor, the Carrau, the Old Blue, the Old Green, the Patufet, the Jonàs, the Mataties and the Biada.

 

The Robafaves Family and the dwarves are accompanied by the music of the flabiola players. The figures also have their own dances: the dance of the Big (Robafaves and the Giant), the dance of the Small (Toneta and Maneló), the dance of the Four (the four Giants at the same time) and the dance of the dwarves.

 

- The Àliga. Restored in 1987, although the figure is documented since the XVII century, it is the most solemn masquerade figure and represents the citizen in events which members of the town council attend. His movements and dances are majestic and elegant. The musicians which accompany him are the ministrils, who play fiscorns, tarota, tarota tenor, tiple and kettledrum.

 

- The Dragon. This figure is inspired by the dragon which appears on the helmet of Robafaves, and appeared in the city around the feast of Saint Jordi in 1991. He likes to go out at night and share his dances of fire with the people without holding anything back. He plays a special role in the diada of Saint Jordi. Recently, as a result of his celebrations in the town's festival, the little Dragalió has also appeared.

 

- Dragalió. Son of the Dragon, he is a figure of fire and fun for children who made his first appearance in Les Santes (town festival) in 2007. The Dragon and the Dragalió have the musical accompaniment of the tabalers (kettledrum palyers).

 

- The Momerota. It is the first figure of fire that the city restored, in 1979. He has his own merry and lively dance, and the music of the gralla and the kettledrum accompanies him.

 

- The Momeroteta. She is the daughter of the Momerota. She was born in 1982. She is also accompanied by the music of gralles and kettledrums and has her own dance.

 

- The Diablesses. One of the few all-female groups, as a fire group it participates in the cercaviles and firework displays of the festivities. The group was born in 1985 and is accompanied by the music of kettledrums played by the Tabalers of Maresme, and has its own dance.