The tradition appeared during the reign of Carlos III (1716-1788), when Madrid authorities decided to treat citizens of the capital with free sardines in Casa de Campo. Sardines turned out to be rotten. However, citizens of Madrid kept their temper, since sardines were served with unlimited amount of wine. In the end, tipsy participants of the festival jokingly managed to obtain spades and “buried” the rotten sardines.
Nowadays, comic “funeral” is held in the following manner: about one hundred imposing men, dressed in the fashion of 19 century – with black top hats, black Spanish gowns “capa” and walking sticks – are slowly walking along the central streets of the city accompanied by the funeral march, performed by the brass band, following the procession.
Participants of the funeral are members of the so called Merry Brotherhood of Sardine Funeral. The only way to obtain membership in this elite brotherhood is to inherit it from a deceased relative. Citizens who usually stop to look at the unusual procession are thrown caramel.
The procession is led by an elder Spaniard with a coffin of the shoe-box size in his hands. The coffin contains the fake sardine to be “buried”. Participants of the procession demonstratively sigh, wipe their tears with white handkerchiefs and say with a singing accent: “Dear sardine, why did you leave us, poor wretches, to the mercy of fate?”
During the procession it is customary to visit the Mayor’s Office, since the Mayor is the honorary Chairman of the brotherhood. After that procession goes to the park area Casa de Campo and buries the sardine. A merry picnic is organized as the funeral repast. |