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TRAVELLER
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25
THE BUZZ
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TRAVEL NEWS
WORDS AMY DENNIS | PHOTO © GETTY
THE MUST SEE
EL SALTO
DEL
COLACHO
BILBAO
VIEWING NOTES
Are those real babies that man is
jumping over?
Yes, they are, but he’s
not really a man: the local people in
the town of Castrillo de Murcia, south
of Bilbao, believe that he’s
El Colacho
(The Devil) and jumping over the
nippers saves them fromoriginal sin.
Shouldn’t someone tell their
parents?
Actually, they know. People
come from far and wide to offer their
newborn tots. More than 90
niños
(whomust be under a year old) are
brought to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento
in the town centre to take part in the
devil’s jump every year.
That’s pretty wacky.
True, but the
event is part of the town’s Corpus
Christi celebrations and it’s been
going since 1620, so it’s a bit of an
institution now.
Isn’t it, well, a little dangerous?
It certainly is. Last year, El Colacho
sprained his ankle and had to bow out
of proceedings. But fortunately no
babies have suffered at the
hands (or should that be feet)
of the jumpers. Also, after the
jumping, the babies get rose
petals thrown on them, so that
– allegedly –makes it all better.
El Salto del Colacho is held on 10 June.
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