The Firó de Sóller: the Tramontana defends against Saracen Pirates
The bells toll, alerting the city of Sóller. It's 3:00 in the afternoon, and Saracen pirate ships are spotted sailing from the horizon. Their intentions are far from good. It's May 11, 1561, and an epic battle is about to take place, reenacted in the municipality every second Monday of May.
Fortunately, the sollerics were warned: two weeks earlier, a viceroy of Mallorca had learned, after torturing some Muslim prisoners, that 23 ships filled with Saracens were going to attack Mallorca. Since it wasn't clear which port would be the target of the battle, the entire periphery of the island remained vigilant.
Upon hearing the bells, the Tramontana was not going to be intimidated. Every man capable of holding a weapon was called to fight. Hundreds of peasants from Sóller, Bunyola, Alaró... gathered to defend themselves fiercely.
A scene that repeats every year... and it's a celebration.
This scene repeats year after year. The peasants, dressed in the traditional attire of that time, gather in the Plaza dels Estiradors. There is Captain Joan Angelats, who entrusts himself to the Mare de Déu de la Victòria and shouts the traditional war cry "a la lluita sollerics" after a brief speech to the brave fighters.
In tramvia—the times have changed—they travel to the stage of the first battle, Can Generós Beach, where Saracen troops await, their faces painted black, dressed in 16th-century war clothes, swords in hand. They try to land, but the sollerics, armed with shotguns, repel the first attack in an intense battle. Visitors and tourists witness, amazed, the fervor of the participants.
Second attack: Playa d'en Repic
To the sound of music and under the watchful eyes of the spectators, who flood the streets and port of Sóller, specially decorated for the occasion, the second battle takes place.
This time it's at Playa d'en Repic. The Moorish king Ulutx Alí leads his troops firmly, and the Saracens gain some advantage. They manage to reach Sóller while plundering, robbing, and raping along the way. Women also defend themselves fiercely. Such is the case of the Valentes Dones, two sisters who managed to save their home and virtue by killing the enemy pirate.
The final battle, in the main square of Sóller
The exhausted spectators of the performance still must witness the last battle, which is staged in the main square of Sóller, after a trail of looting and violence. The air smells of gunpowder, the firing of muskets doesn't cease, the residents show signs of fatigue, but they won't surrender the town. The Saracens believe they have the advantage, but they are surprised by the brutality of the sollerics, who mercilessly defend their city.
The pirates flee in the face of numerous casualties, and Sóller emerges victorious. The town is devastated, but the Christians have won.
Captain Angelats proclaims victory with shouts, dedicating it to the Mare de Déu de la Victòria. After the performance, Moors and Christians return to being the neighbors they always were, and all together they sing the Balanguera, as their ancestors did more than 400 years ago.
The festivities and revelry continue all night long. Sóller, once again, has become the center of attention in Mallorca.
For less crowded activities in Sóller, we invite you to visit this blog post.
