Whilst all other villages in Mallorca are preparing for their Sant Antoni and Sant Sebastià festivities, the pueblo of Algaida today celebrates its patron saint, Sant Honorat.

The main attraction of today’s festivities in Algaida will be the Cossiers dancers who have performed here, on and off, since 1554. At 11h00, everybody will go to the Yglesia, where the Cossiers dance merrily inside and outside of the church. The Cossiers perform their dance ritual with a male representing the female lead part. Another dancer is dressed as a demon and tries to spoil proceedings. Some sources trace the Cossiers to a Scottish connection; don’t ask me why. But phonetics would support that theory – Cossiers sounds just like escocès (Scottish). Cossiers dancers can also be found in other Mallorcan places such as Montuïri, Porreres, Pollença and Sóller.

Free food and drink will be served in front of the Casa de la Vila (town hall), as festivities proceed after the church service.

Next Sunday, January 23rd, a church mass will be celebrated at the Ermita de Sant Honorat at 11h30, but, without the Cossiers.

The photos were borrowed from the Internet, courtesy of potti.skamot.com (top) and paraisobalear.com (bottom).

Muchas gracias and

moltes gràcies.