A fishing tradition
The San Pedros festivities are held every year from 29th June to 1st July in the coastal town of Lekeitio where, faithful to the tradition, a curious procession in honour of San Pedro (St Peter) takes place on the 29th after Mass. It includes two ancient traditions that are very characteristic of this picturesque fishing town: La-kala and la kaxarranka.
La kilin-kala (‘Saint’s wink to the sea’) takes place during the procession that goes from the Church of Santa Maria down to the harbour. It is a rite in which members of the Fishermen’s’ Guild incline the effigy of the saint towards the water, while the onlookers hold their breath because of the possibility of an accidental fall into the water. The tradition is very deep-rooted among local fishermen and seeks the blessing of the patron saint for a good fishing season.
Kaxarranka, the dance of Lekeitio
After the kilin-kala the traditional Kaxarranka dance takes place, a unique one in Euskadi in which a dancer dressed in a tailcoat and a red neckerchief dances on a float held up by 8 arrantzales (fishermen in Basque), carrying a top hat in one hand and a flag in the other with the keys of St Peter embroidered into it. The dance is performed at different points in the town as the procession progresses: first, under the arch of San Pedro in the harbour, then in front of the Steward of the Fishermen’s Guild, and finally in the Town Hall square.
Photo: Kaxarranka-Lekeitio- ‘CC BY-3.0-ES 2012_EJ-GV_Irekia-Basque Government_Mikel Arrazola
The kaxarranka is a tradition that dates back to the 15th century. Originally, it was a ceremony in which the float was carried with the assets and documents of the Fishermen’s Guild from the outgoing Steward’s house to that of the incoming one. From that moment on, he will be responsible for supervising and distributing the earnings for the year and taking care of the documents. At present, the float is kept in the Guild and the fisherfolk continue to perform this traditional dance of Lekeitio to pay tribute to their patron saint.
Lekeitio is worth a visit any day of the year, but particularly on the Day of San Pedro, the patron saint of the Fishermen’s Guild. We encourage you to discover the best plans and traditions in Disfruta Bizkaia (enjoy Biscay).
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