Castell

For other uses, see Castell (disambiguation).

A castell is a human tower traditionally built during festivals in many places in Catalonia. At these festivals, several colles castelleres (teams) meet and try to build the most impressive towers they can.

Origin

This tradition originated in the southern part of Catalonia at the end of the XVIII century. More specifically in Valls, near the city of Tarragona. The tradition later spread to other regions of Catalonia and even Mallorca, and has become very popular. However, the best and most skilled castellers are still found near Tarragona.

The castell

A castell is considered a success when it is properly assembled and dismantled, that is, when everyone has climbed into place, the enxaneta (the last one) climbs up to the top, raises one hand (with four fingers erect, said to symbolize the stripes of the Catalan flag), climbs down the other side of the castell, and then everyone else comes down safely.

Besides the people who actually climb, many are also needed to form the pinya (the base of the castell). They help sustain the weight and act as a sort of safety net.

Attire

Typical clothing consists of white trousers, a black sash, a bandana and a colored shirt bearing the team's emblem. Performing castellers usually go barefoot so that they do not hurt each other as they climb and so that they have more sensitivity in their feet.

The sash is the most important part of their outfit, since it supports the lower part back and is very useful to other castellers as a foothold or handhold when climbing up the tower. This piece of cloth varies in length and width depending on the casteller's position inside the tower and also on personal taste. Its length can range from 1.5 to 8 meters, and it is usually shorter for those higher up in the castell.

The castellers arrange themselves into a multi-tiered structure or tower, sometimes as high as nine or ten people. A young child known as the enxaneta then climbs to the top of the tower. Accidents are unusual during the construction of a castell. However, they do occur, and on August 6, 2006, in Mataró a young casteller fell off the castell she was forming and died. Before this, the last fatal accident was in 1981 in Torredembarra.

Castellers have a motto: "Strength, balance, courage and reason".

• Strength: A casteller is usually a stocky person. The first castellers were peasants who were accustomed to holding great weights and much physical exertion.
• Balance: To support those above you in the castell while relying on those below you for support requires a strong sense of balance and trust in others.
• Courage: The most important characteristic for castellers, especially among the young children that form the highest levels.
• Reason: In planning, rehearsal and performance requires a great deal of planning and reason. Any error can make the structure fall down.

Terminology

In Catalan the word castell means castle, although a castell with two persons per level is a torre (tower). A castell with one person per level is usually called a pilar.

Castells are described by number of people who make up each of the levels, as well as the number of levels. The people standing on the ground (the pinya) make up the first level, and the top three levels are normally different from the rest (see pom de dalt below). In the image, for instance, a 4 de 9 is depicted, because there are four people making up most of the levels, and the tower is nine levels high.

The elements a castell may consist of are as follows:

• pinya (bulk): The densely arranged crowd of castellers at the base of the tower. Here is where most of the people are. Its function is to sustain the second level, lighten the weight on those who form the foundation and to soften the impact of anyone falling.
• enxaneta (rider) : The topmost child.
• aixecador (riser): The person sustaining the enxaneta.
• dosos (seconds): The level sustaining the aixecador.
• pom de dalt (top bunch): The top three levels of the castell: dosos, aixecador, and enxaneta.
• folre (cover): A group of people standing on the pinya and sustaining the third level.
• manilles (cover): A group of people standing on the folre and sustaining the fourth level.
• agulla (needle) : A tower with one person per level (pilar) inside the castell. When the castell is being dismantled, the agulla must remain standing until the outside part of the castell is already down.
• cap de colla (leader): The head of each team, who decides which castells the team is ready to try, and acts as a director for the construction of the castells from the ground. He is always accompanied by many assistants and advisers.

Castells up to 10 levels have been built.

See also

• Muixeranga

External links

• Castellers de Barcelona (English language)
• spanien-katalonien site with photographs and video of castell construction