Description
The origin of the 'castells'. Technical and historical analysis
Book Summary
A fundamental work for all those passionate about the world of 'casteller' culture. This book addresses the centuries-old debate on the origin of the 'castells' (human towers) in a monographic and rigorous manner, offering a dual analysis: historical and technical. The author, Joan Bofarull, critically examines sixty historical reports of the 'ball de valencians' (dance of the Valencians) dating back to the 17th century and contrasts them with a technical comparison between 'castells', 'muixerangues', and 'moixigangues', providing new data and interpretations that convincingly resolve one of the great unknowns of Catalan popular culture.
What is it about?
The book is divided into two major lines of investigation to unravel the mystery of the origin of the 'castells'. On one hand, it conducts an exhaustive historical survey of the 'ball de valencians', from the 17th century to the birth of the 'castells' as we know them today. The author critically analyzes sixty documented reports, offering his own interpretations which often differ from theories established to date. On the other, the work develops a comparative technical analysis, describing and contrasting the structures and techniques of the 'castells' with the 'ball de valencians', the 'muixerangues' of the Valencian Country, the religious Catalan 'moixigangues', and even the acrobatic traditions of the Maghreb. This dual perspective allows the work to convincingly resolve a debate that has generated imaginative theories, often biased by localist passions.
Main themes
- Historical origin and evolution of the 'castells' in Catalonia.
- Critical analysis of documentary sources on the 'ball de valencians' (17th-18th centuries).
- Technical comparison between 'castells', Valencian 'muixerangues', and Catalan 'moixigangues'.
- Influences and parallels with acrobatic traditions of the Maghreb.
- Historical research methodology applied to popular culture.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is essential for 'castellers' from all groups, scholars of Catalan popular culture, historians, and anthropologists interested in festive traditions. It will also be of great interest to any curious reader who has witnessed a 'castell' and wishes to understand its historical and technical roots with rigor and depth.
What this book provides
- A complete and updated vision of the debate on the origin of the 'castells', based on data and new contributions.
- A critical analysis that dismantles previous theories that were poorly founded or biased.
- An unprecedented technical comparison that relates the 'castells' to other similar manifestations.
- Access to sixty historical reports analyzed with documentary rigor.
- A reference tool for a deep understanding of one of the most important symbols of Catalan culture.
Technical specifications
- Author: BOFARULL SOLE, JOAN
- Publisher: Cossetània Edicions
- Language: Cat
- Subject: HISTORY, POPULAR CULTURE
- Collection: L'AIXECADOR
- Binding: Paperback
- Edition date: September 2007
- Number of pages: 176
- Weight: 435 g
Editorial review
A mandatory reference work for anyone wishing to delve into the roots of the 'casteller' phenomenon with seriousness. The author successfully combines a passion for tradition with a rigorous research method, offering a read that satisfies both the specialist and the educated enthusiast. Its dual approach, historical and technical, gives it unique value within the existing bibliography, making it an essential title for collections on popular culture and local history.