The Galo de San Pedro da Mezquita in A Merca, Galicia, is a traditional figure celebrated during local festivals. Adorned with vibrant plumage and intricate decorations, this symbolic rooster represents fertility and prosperity, embodying the rich cultural heritage and festive spirit of the region. Historical records indicate that the Entroido has been celebrated in A Merca since the 18th century, featuring old masks known as Mecos bonitos and Mecos feos. The rooster masks currently used in the parish of San Pedro da Mezquita were created in the 1980s. The use of the rooster harkens back to an
The Galo de San Pedro da Mezquita in A Merca, Galicia, is a traditional figure celebrated during local festivals. Adorned with vibrant plumage and intricate decorations, this symbolic rooster represents fertility and prosperity, embodying the rich cultural heritage and festive spirit of the region. Historical records indicate that the Entroido has been celebrated in A Merca since the 18th century, featuring old masks known as Mecos bonitos and Mecos feos. The rooster masks currently used in the parish of San Pedro da Mezquita were created in the 1980s. The use of the rooster harkens back to ancient "corridas do galo," which ended with the animal's decapitation—a practice still carried out during the Epiphany despite prohibitions, although in 2020, live roosters were replaced with cloth figures due to pressure from the Guardia Civil and animal rights groups.
Size: 4024px × 6048px
Photo credit: © KIKE CALVO / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 18th, 1980s, animal, attire, bonitos, celebration, century, colorful, corridas, costumes, creation, cultural, culture, dance, de, decorations, entroido, epiphany, ethnographic, feos, fertility, festival, festivals, festive, figure, folklore, galicia, galician, galo, heritage, historical, iberica, internacional, intricate, local, mascarada, masks, mecos, merca, mezquita, parade, pedro, plumage, prosperity, regional, rightsfolklore, rooster, san, spain, spanish, spirit, tradition, traditional, traditions, vibomask, vibrant
