Popular culture is strengthened in children's stories
The range of activities for children and young people linked to traditions and festivals has increased considerably over the last decade
PalmHeAtlas of the demons of Mallorca, by Xesc Alemany and Bárbara Sansó (Susaeta); The demons of the little porthole, by Neus Coll and Roberto Campillo (Literary Island), and Ona the demonWritten by Núria Duran and also illustrated by Bárbara Sansó (Triangle Kids), these are just three of the more than fifteen children's and young adult books published in the last five years that deal, from different perspectives, with the festival of Sant Antoni in Mallorca or, more specifically, its central figure: the devil.
Canizales, a renowned illustrator and author of young adult literature, has published a handful since 2020, such as Damn, where's the tambourine? (Absorta Editorial) and Jerome and the Devil. The School for Demons (Black Pig), starring a boy inspired by Miquel Montoro. In fact, Canizales' collaborations with the Majorcan publisher Disset have resulted in titles such as Saint Anthony and the devil were playing 31, one of the most successful stories among Mallorcan children in recent years, and also others focused on other popular festivals of the Islands such as Saint John. The longest day and The 7 legs of Jaia CoremaWhen the work turns 50 years old King GasparThe book with which Gabriel Janer Manila revitalized children's literature in the Balearic Islands, popular culture, and traditional festivals have become protagonists in the stories that children read in the Islands.
"And not only in stories, because right now we have a handful of board games with themes like fables and aimed at children of all ages; there has been a real boom with these themes." This is confirmed by Marta Prunés, manager of Lila y los cuentos, in Palma. When she opened the bookstore 13 years ago, the available selection of stories, games, and educational materials related to these themes was almost nonexistent, Prunés recalls. "There was a story by Caterina Valriu, Cucarell's horns"...and a volume dedicated to demons that, curiously, wasn't published by a local publisher, but by Susaeta," he shares, "and now, on the other hand, we even have beautiful readings like My friend Esclafit, the little demonwhere the figure of the devil is used to talk about other things."
An integration tool
And while it's true that sales of these specific books increase around January 17th, Prunés confirms that they sell year-round. "If you look around, many bookstores carry them at book fairs. Even around Sant Jordi's Day, you can see books about demons at the stalls, because there's a lot of interest in these themes right now," he explains. Prunés believes that the surge in publications has helped compensate for the deficit that existed just a decade ago, compared to other regions that had a strong tradition of stories linked to popular culture. And he predicts that new releases will continue to arrive. "They're among the books we sell the most throughout the year, and they also serve to showcase our culture to people from elsewhere. Some people buy them as gifts for relatives who live on the mainland, for example."
In fact, the bookseller points out that these kinds of stories and games have become a very powerful integration tool. "One of the groups that often asks us for stories like these are Spanish-speaking families who want their children to learn not only about traditions but also about the language. And I think it's a very good first contact with both things; I think it's essential that all this material is available."
Delving into tradition
However, the current cultural offerings for children and young people are not solely based on demons. Fables feature prominently in numerous storytelling sessions that are part of the regular programming in many municipalities across the islands, and other traditions have served as inspiration for a large number of stories published in recent years, such as The bubota Golafre and the night of the souls (Literary Island), by Juan Maria González and Robert Campillo; Let's go to the popular dance (Saïm Edicions), by Pilar Reiona and Bárbara Sansó, and the Small Mallorcan, Published by Melicotó, an illustrated compendium of the main elements of traditional Mallorcan festivals explained in chronological order.
Just under a year ago, the story was also published A brave peopleThe book focuses on the historical events that took place in Pollença in May 1550 and the elements of the Patron Saint's festival. Among its authors is the educator Joana Maria Amengual, who recently organized a series of workshops on Mallorcan popular culture at the center she runs in Port de Pollença, Espai Saba. "Right now there's a huge amount of material on these topics aimed at children, and as an educator, and also as a mother, I'm very proud and grateful. We have so much to explore with children, and it's important that they internalize it from a young age and make our festivals and our history their own. It's never just about them, especially if they're part of our festivals and our history. Damn," she says, laughing. Regarding the story she co-authored with Maria Antònia Cifre, and illustrated by Coloma Ferragut, they produced a first edition of 1,000 copies, which are almost sold out—only about fifty remain. While they consider publishing a second edition, Amengual acknowledges that the reception has been extraordinary. "We've held storytelling sessions, workshops, an exhibition of children's drawings… It's wonderful to see the interest there is, and not just in Pollença, in this festival."