THE PALILLADAS

This statue is a tribute to the craft of the women lace makers, and their 'palilladas', an essential element of Camariñas' history.
The "palilladas", also called "schools" were meetings of women who gathered in houses to create handmade lace from September to March, the season with less agricultural activity. Their origins are unknown, but they are known to date back several centuries.
They took place from Monday to Saturday and lasted all day until the early morning. On Sundays, the school was cleaned and bobbins were washed and threaded to save time during the week. Lacemakers of all ages attended.
Almost all of them had to complete a lacemaking job, otherwise they were punished.
One of the reasons behind these palilladas was energy saving. Back then, the expenses of the carbide lamps they used were shared by all women. Furthermore, they were more productive working together, and also prevented each other from falling asleep. During these meetings, it was normal to hold long conversations, sing traditional songs and share good moments. The boys had their own courting day and dances were held during the whole season, especially during Carnival.
The tradition of having these meetings is still alive today.
AUDIO:  Song about palilladas
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