In pictures: The Els Enfarinats festival in Spain
Every year on December 28, since 1856, a strange festival has been celebrated in the town of Ibi, in the province of Alicante. A coup d'etat is being staged, in which participants fight each other with flour and eggs.
The day of the innocent children
The festival of Els Enfarinats takes place on December 28 on the "Dia de los Santos Inocentes," the Day of the Innocent Children. On this day, the tradition in Spain – as it is in Germany and other countries on April 1 – is to play pranks on each other. The Spanish word "inocente" can mean innocent as well as naive or stupid.
'New justice'
In Ibi, the Els Enfarinats parade through the town on this day. Els Enfarinats roughly means "those covered in flour." At 9 o'clock in the morning, the men gather in the church square and make the same demand every year: they want a "New Justice“.
A new mayor
A kind of "coup d'etat" is staged. The participants are dressed in old military uniforms and their faces are colorfully painted. They try to gain power for one day. Someone from their ranks is appointed mayor and absurd "laws" are passed that everyone has to abide by.
The turmoil begins
Anyone who does not comply risks a fine or can even end up in a prison cell, which is built on the square. The "opposition" cannot accept this and so they soon start to fight back. A wild battle begins.
The wild battle with flour and eggs
The opposition tries to grab power from the ruling party. The two parties throw bags of flour and hundreds of eggs at each other. Spectators that are not careful are also covered in flour. Then the groups parade through the stores of the village and collect taxes, passers-by are asked for money. The proceeds are donated to a good cause.
Fun day with serious background
This festival also commemorates the day when, according to the Bible, King Herod ordered the children in Bethlehem to be killed – in the hope of catching Jesus, whom he considered a competitor. The celebration ends with a dance in the evening – and with a lot of cleaning!