The Festa of The 13 Dead Cows Day 3

The final day; which included the BBQ of our poor 13 dead cattle and the auction of over 180 donated cattle and calves for the benefit of the new parish hall, and also another night of dancing.

The beans being prepared.

We had to print our own money for the festa so these women sold beer, mineral and food tickets which were then redeemed in the different parts of the hall, such as in the bar or the kitchen.

The local women roasting about 50 chickens in the brick over. They had already backed a load of bread in it earlier. It works very simply; The first burn wood in it to heat it up and then empty out the ashes (see them on the ground) then put in what you want to cook and the heat inside does the rest.

The main BBQ in action. early in the day people come and purchase the spits of raw meat and the men cook it for them on the BBQ. Each spit has a number and then the owner arrives back about mid day with family and has a picnic with the meat now cooked.

The cattle trucks arriving with the cattle for the auction.

Some cattle in the auction area.

The festa is in full swing.

The local TV came to interview a few of the locals here the chairman of the new hall committee is being interviewed.

A view of the game stalls in action.

Some of the local kids.
Another view of the festa, no room for dancing yet.

The parish secretary and her family enjoying the BBQ.


Because of the numbers we had to construct a temporary extra BBQ.

Yours truly selling a calf.

This bull nearly escaped when it took fright with my camera flash.

The hard working women cooked all day in shifts.

A local delicacy called a "pastel".

Some of the teenagers enjoying the dance.

Festa of The 13 Dead Cows Day 2

The second day of the festa included a huge dance. We were overflowing to capacity this night and at about 5 am I had to ask the music to stop so the workers could go home. If I had not stopped the dance I think they would have danced into the day light.

The local women preparing the kitchen. Most of the food sold on the second night was fast food such as homemade crisps, pastels, cakes etc.

Checking each grain of rice to prepare it for the big BBQ the next day. Rice here can include dirt and insects so the women check it all before cooking it.

The dance floor was full from the very first song to the last song 8 hours later.

The motor bike is king here hence, the helmet store.

The meat for the BBQ the next day was store in huge vats in our garage and allowed to marinate, but it had to be turned every hour. There was also a refrigerated lorry full of meat outside. Hence the Festa of the 13 dead cows!!!!

Games stalls were a great hit during the night.

A hot wine drink being laced with one of many bottles of "pinga" a local brew not too unlike our Poitin.

Festa of the 13 Dead Cows Day 1

This June on the Feast of St. Anthony, the patron of our parish we had three days of Festas. It Started with a Mass and ended with three nights of dancing and a huge BBQ where we fed 13 cattle to our visitors. It was claimed to be the biggest every festival in the history of the diocese. It was also the occasion for the opening of our newly constructed parish hall, (well the roof was built the walls and kitchens etc., will come later.)

The new roof is all we need to keep off the rain and give shade from the sun. The decorations are being hung. These flags were made from magazine pages. Nothing goes to waste here.

The beer is delivered by the truck load.
I thought I was finished carrying in the bacon! This was a donation for the fundraising event to pay for our new hall.

The Opening of The Festa Mass, here I am celebrating with Fr. Richard a newly ordained just arrived from Nigeria.

A Fancy Dress Dance or as it is called here a "Quadrilha" The first dances were for the children.

The second quadrilha dance was for the teenagers.
The women cooked crisps and other things for the dancers all through the night.

The men at work in the bar. Beer and minerals are kept cold in the big chests filled with ice, so electricity is not needed.