marieclaire.com.au (^) | 33
A little girl sits in a white lace dress
and fringed shawl, flower crown on
her head and strings of beads layered
around her neck. Behind her, vibrant
buds burst into bloom, which is fitting
given the occasion: Las Mayas is an
annual festival heralding the arrival
of spring. The ritual dates back to
medieval times, and sees girls aged
seven to 11 chosen to sit in elaborate
flower-strewn altars as crowds pass
by. Themes of new life, female fertility
and religion are all entwined with the
celebration, but for the girls it’s
an opportunity to bask in the spotlight.
“The [images] are very simple,” says
Spanish photographer Daniel Ochoa
de Olza, who photographed the
picture-perfect festivities in a small
village outside Madrid. “But they
have layers. That is what I like about
shooting traditions. It’s another way of
telling the story of my country. And I
am discovering those traditions myself.
They will last a bit longer than the
breaking news that will be gone in a
week. Traditions will evolve over time,
[others] will disappear completely.”
WOMEN LIVING FEARLESSLY AROUND THE GLOBE
SPAIN
FLOWER
CHILD
Girls take centrestage in
an age-old ceremony that
affirms the beauty of tradition
A ‘Maya’ girl (Ingrid
Pedraza Bermejo) sits in
an altar during the traditional
celebration of ‘Las Mayas’
on the streets of Colmenar
Viejo, near Madrid, Spain.
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