All About Menorca’s Jaleos

Surely many of you have visited or at the very least heard good things about Menorca, a slice of paradise in the Mediterranean Sea. And yet this post won’t be mentioning its crystalline waters, its golden beaches, its traditional drink pomada, its delicious cuisine, or its Talayotic megaliths… Today we’ll let you in on all the details of its most traditional festivities, the Jaleos.

The Jaleo celebrations trace their start to the introduction of music in what was otherwise a religious ceremony, where horses were made to walk around a town or city three times. Over a century ago in Ciutadella de Menorca, a band started playing an Aragonese jota as the horses were passing by, and such was the musicians’ enthusiasm that the horses started jumping to the rhythm, getting the audience to follow suit. Nowadays, the horses march in a parade led by a donkey and its rider, who plays the flabiol and the drum. The animals then march into the town square, and one by one try to stand up on two legs, while people help hold them in position by supporting their muscles around their flanks.

Besides music, there are two central aspects to these festivities: horses, which are always black and strong, and riders, divided into categories representing the different strata of society. Those known as ‘caixers’ are at the top of the rank: a ‘caixer senyor’ represents the nobility, a ‘caixer capellà’ represents the clergy, a number of ‘caixers pagesos’ represent the farmers, and the ‘caixers menestrals’ represent the artisans. The remaining riders are known as ‘caballers’. The audience also plays an important role in these ceremonies, although they are not allowed to touch the horses’ bridles or the riders.

Fun times are guaranteed, as there are plenty of activities to choose from during each town’s festivities. And it’s worth mentioning that it’s important to take certain precautions such as never approaching the horse from the front, watching how the old-timers do it before getting involved, and drinking plenty of water to stay well hydrated. And if crowds are not your thing, you might want to pass on Ciutadella de Menorca’s Jaleo, the most popular of its kind. And here is our list with the specific dates for each of this summer’s Jaleos, so you don’t miss out:

• Ciutadella de Menorca: June 23^rd-25^th
• Es Mercadal: July 18^th-19^th & September 13^th-14^th
• Sant Climent: July 24^th-26^th
• Fornells: July 25^th-26^th
• Lucmaçanes: August 1^st-2^nd
• Es Migjorn Gran: August 1^st-2^nd
• Alaior: August 15^th-16^th
• Sant Climent: August 22^nd-23^rd
• Ferreries: August 23^rd-24^th
• Sant Lluís: August 29^th-30^th
• Maó: September 6^th-9^th