Xenerais do Ulla

Carnival Riders

The Xenerais, in colourful uniforms, have brilliant dialectical duels on horseback.

It is one of the most picturesque manifestations of carnival in As Rías Baixas. Declared a Festivity of Tourist Interest in Galicia, the famous altos or atranquesof the xenerais are celebrated in several rural municipalities in the province of Pontevedra.

On the banks of the river Ulla, in the warmth of the home, the older people remember old customs and the younger ones wish to be the protagonists. The xenerais are a beautiful spectacle, mounted on horseback and dressed in colourful costumes of great value that are impressive for their tradition and elaboration, and evoke a strong feeling in the participating neighbours.

It is necessary to go back to the mid-19th century to understand the origins of this festivity, although the exact date of its beginning is unknown. It is thought to be related to the soldiers who fought for their land in the War of Independence or to commemorate the generals of the Carlist Wars, due to their flowery dress.

In the parades, the participants wear costumes that take months to make and are adorned with thousands of beads. They are a different kind of army: peaceful and joking, adorned with precisely hand-sewn pieces. These 19th-century uniforms feature the Xenerais' distinctive tricorn, from which peacock feathers protrude. The horses also have ornamentation on their heads and chests.

Dialectical battles

The Xenerais ride through the municipalities reciting the famous altos or atranques, veritable dialectic fights in which they measure their verbal dexterity and leave no one in the lurch. But before that, the postmen announce their arrival and the neighbours entertain them with food and drink. The xenerais go from door to door giving the vivas: words full of wishes of life for each family. They are followed by the comparsas, the chorus of bonitos (girls and boys) and the chorus of vellos (adults).

From A Estrada, passing through Silleda and ending in Vila de Cruces, the rural carnival of Pontevedra makes this a good time to visit these places. Camellias in bloom, lamprey from the Ulla, Galician stew... They say that those who try it will come back again and again.