Music, food and sweets of Al-Andalus, lectures on Andalusian culture and the three Arab language manuscripts found in Cútar, are some of the highlights included in the program of the two-day 2011 Monfí Festival in Cútar, Axarquia, this 8-9 October.
During this weekend, our small pueblo of Cútar relives its Moorish origins, unfolding along the narrow streets traditional aspects of Andalusian culture such as the souk, Andalusian and Sephardic music, mint tea and oriental dance, traditional clothing, falconry demonstrations, among other activities.
The festival was founded in memory of those Moorish rebels called Monfíes (the dispossessed) who resisted the conquest of their lands, the kingdom of Granada - Málaga, Granada and Almería, as well as the suppression of their people, religion, language, culture and traditions by the Catholic monarchs in the latter part of the 15th century.
After the Monfíes resisted this subjugation, without property they took refuge in the mountains of La Axarquía and Alpujarras, later uprising in rebellion which was soon suppressed. They were subsequently evicted from a land they had inhabited for eight centuries. The festival is aimed at promoting greater awareness and recovery of those cultures, which had advanced the search for knowledge during the previous centuries. Developed were the sciences, mathematics, astronomy, navigation, medicine and also knowledge of the ancient philosophy of Aristotle preserved in Arabic and translated into Latin during the 13th century.
Initiation for creating the Monfí festival was the discovery in Cútar, in July 2003, of three books written in Magred, western Arabic, carefully hidden, wrapped in fiber and incased in mud and straw to prevent the package from being found in the wall in a house in the center of Cútar. Researchers say that the manuscripts were probably hidden between 1500 – 01 due to entries made in them.
The continued decrees and royal orders increased tension only to be relaxed upon payment of exorbitant fees by the Muslim population. Much of the Moorish writings as well as property which had be past down from generation to generation became property of the crown, leaving the Andalusians dispossessed. This is the meaning of Monfí. The Monfi festival in Cútar was founded in memory of those who resisted the conquest. Welcome
During this weekend, our small pueblo of Cútar relives its Moorish origins, unfolding along the narrow streets traditional aspects of Andalusian culture such as the souk, Andalusian and Sephardic music, mint tea and oriental dance, traditional clothing, falconry demonstrations, among other activities.
The festival was founded in memory of those Moorish rebels called Monfíes (the dispossessed) who resisted the conquest of their lands, the kingdom of Granada - Málaga, Granada and Almería, as well as the suppression of their people, religion, language, culture and traditions by the Catholic monarchs in the latter part of the 15th century.
After the Monfíes resisted this subjugation, without property they took refuge in the mountains of La Axarquía and Alpujarras, later uprising in rebellion which was soon suppressed. They were subsequently evicted from a land they had inhabited for eight centuries. The festival is aimed at promoting greater awareness and recovery of those cultures, which had advanced the search for knowledge during the previous centuries. Developed were the sciences, mathematics, astronomy, navigation, medicine and also knowledge of the ancient philosophy of Aristotle preserved in Arabic and translated into Latin during the 13th century.
Initiation for creating the Monfí festival was the discovery in Cútar, in July 2003, of three books written in Magred, western Arabic, carefully hidden, wrapped in fiber and incased in mud and straw to prevent the package from being found in the wall in a house in the center of Cútar. Researchers say that the manuscripts were probably hidden between 1500 – 01 due to entries made in them.
The continued decrees and royal orders increased tension only to be relaxed upon payment of exorbitant fees by the Muslim population. Much of the Moorish writings as well as property which had be past down from generation to generation became property of the crown, leaving the Andalusians dispossessed. This is the meaning of Monfí. The Monfi festival in Cútar was founded in memory of those who resisted the conquest. Welcome
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