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Trial in the depths of the Sea |
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"As announced on the radio
in the depths of the sea
a great event has taken place
about which much has been said."
Every year, the "Trial in the depths of the sea" starts off with these verses. This festivity has made our Carnival the important event it is today.
It is hard to imagine that a song by "Los parrandistas" composed back in 1934 could give rise to such an important symbols of our Carnival.
In 1981 what is known today as the "Trial in the depths of the sea" was staged for the first time, thanks to the will and involvement of the people of Santoņa. Twenty-five years later, the tradition that has led us to grant the Carnival the title of "Festivity of National Interest to Tourist"was inaugurated.
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 Santoņa CARNIVALS .
Plot taken from a song written in 1934 by the group "Los Parrandistas".
The abduction of a mermaid by an enamoured sea bream
Trial in the depths of the sea
This performance is very attractive for the spectators, who thoroughly enjoy the show, even though they know the story well, as the magic is in the artistic side of the performace, that is, all the details of the performance that make it so expressive.
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Based on the plot of a song composed in 1934 by the minstrels "Los Parrandistas" a script was written for staging the story of that song, and converted into a performance filled with colour, as is required by the plot:
The abduction of a mermaid by an enamoured sea bream, and the Trial to which it must submit, held in the waters of the bay, in an opening in a rock adorned with robes and seaweed.
From the tiniest fish to the cleverest scallop pass before Neptune, to testify. The court is formed by mermaids, the scorpion fish is the wily lawyer entrusted with the defence, the mackerel is the counsel for the plaintiff and to leave nothing out in the proceedings, a flying fish is the prosecutor. An enormous sword fish is the bailiff.
The roles of the different fish are played by young men and women in disguise. They are therefore walking fish instead of swimming fish. The costumes are very well designed and provide a very good imitation. At first, the actors in the "Trial in the depths of the sea" wore nets and fish heads, which were designed as hats of specific sizes. These fish heads-hats were made by members of the Group "Los Ronceros", and the sea breams head by the Group "La Zarceta".
Nowadays the actors wear fish suits and only their feet and tails can be seen, and they walk and see through a slot in the ventral part of the suit. The heads and tails are made of white cork, the body is made of a more flexible material with scales over it, and the entire suit is mounted on a frame formed by slender iron rods.
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THE PASSAGE OF THE ACCUSED
TRIAL IN THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA
BURIAL OF THE SEA BREAM
20TH ANNIVERSARY
When the current carnival was resumed in 1981, and all expectations surpassed, it was felt necessary to improve the event. The best performance was that of Carlos Juncal Ibaceta, with his "Trial in the depths of the sea", that as we have said, celebrates its 20th anniversary, and is the most original part of the carnival of santoņa, which has led to its being declared a FESTIVITY OF INTEREST TO TOURISTS |
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The play is divided into three acts: The Passage of the Accused, in which the sea bream is led through the streets to the square; the enacting of the "Trial in the depths of the sea", which ends with the sea bream being acquitted, who, whoever, dies of love on being rejected by the mermaid; and the Burial of the Sea Bream, when, following the vigil, a parade is organised, formed by a lugubrious committee of fish, hundreds of mourners and wailers who accompany it to its final resting place.
The funeral marches are heard until the committee reaches the Pasaje. There, the procession stops and the sea bream is placed on a small floating raft. It is set on fire and artificial fireworks burst from the inside of the fish, filling the sky with light. The waters of the bay receive the ashes of the huge sea bream, personifying the Carnival of Santoņa.
However, as we said before, the trilogy of the sea bream has been performed for twenty years, which means the Carnival of Santoņa was organised in a different way, as it was done in the traditional way, with the Burial of the Sardine.
In 1965, the last burial of this species took place. During those years, when carnivals were not permitted, the Friends of the Sea Association was brave enough to organise it. It didnt take a lot of preparation. They constructed a rustic coffin with boards from some herring boxes. When the time came, the sardin was hung from a small piece of wood nailed to the head of the coffin. When the procession set out, some dressed in religious clothes lent by a priest, and the others disguised themselves with whatever they could find, and the procession started out. The sardine was guarded by a group of young people wearing fishermens clothes with lit torches surrounded by a large group of persons accompanying them dressed in imaginative costumes.
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