Hi all!<\/p>\n
Some days ago we welcome summer in this part of the world, and we also celebrated St John\u2019s night (or witches’ night) burning good wishes and bad memories, washing our faces in rivers or natural springs to keep our beauty, and trying to find out our future using eggs (read more about all these traditions here<\/a>).<\/p>\n As you all know, most Spanish celebrations have a typical food or drink associated to them, and that is the case of St John and the queimada. This is a traditional Galician beverage made from orujo or aguardiente (strong alcoholic liquor distilled from wine and grape or herbs pressings), orange or lemon peels and sugar as main ingredients. Some people also add coffee beans, fruit chunks or cinnamon. I have never made it myself, but I know that you have to burn it slowly in a clay pot. When it is set alight, it shows beautiful blue flames.<\/p>\n Every 23rd of June, during the preparation of the queimada, you have to recite the ‘conxuro da queimada’, (the spell of queimada), a poem that provides protection against black magic and witches, and keeps bad spirits away.<\/p>\n I\u2019m afraid I\u2019m a bit late for this year\u2019s St John\u2019s night, but here you have the spell for the next one.<\/p>\n
| B\u00fahos, lechuzas, sapos y brujas; \nDemonios, duendes y diablos; \nesp\u00edritus de las vegas llenas de niebla, \ncuervos, salamandras y hechiceras; \ny todos los hechizos de las curanderas. \nPodridos le\u00f1os agujereados, \nhogar de gusanos y alima\u00f1as, \nfuego de la Santa Compa\u00f1a, \nmal de ojo, negros maleficios; \nhedor de los muertos, truenos y rayos; \nhocico de s\u00e1tiro y pata de conejo; \naullido de perro, pregonero de la muerte.Pecadora lengua de mala mujer \ncasada con un hombre viejo; \nAverno de Sat\u00e1n y Belceb\u00fa, \nfuego de cad\u00e1veres ardientes, \nfuegos fatuos de la noche de San Silvestre, \ncuerpos mutilados de los indecentes, \ny pedos de los infernales culos…<\/p>\n Rugir del mar embravecido, Con este cazo \u00a1Escuchad! \u00a1Escuchad estos rugidos…! \u00a1Fuerzas del aire, tierra, mar y fuego! | Owls, barn owls, toads and witches. \nDemons, goblins and devils, \nspirits of the misty vales. \nCrows, salamanders and midges, \ncharms of the folk healer(ess). \nRotten pierced canes, \nhome of worms and vermin. \nWisps of the Holy Company, \nevil eye, black witchcraft, \nscent of the dead, thunder and lightning. \nmaws of the satyr and foot of the rabbit. \nhowl of the dog, omen of death.Sinful tongue of the bad woman \nmarried to an old man. \nSatan and Beelzebub’s Inferno, \nfire of the burning corpses, \nwill-o’-the-wisp on the night of St Sylvester \nmutilated bodies of the indecent ones, \nfarts of the infernal asses.<\/p>\n Roar of the enraged sea, With this pot Hear! Hear the roars Forces of air, earth, sea and fire, \n \u00a1Hola a todos!<\/p>\n Hace unos d\u00edas d\u00e1bamos la bienvenida al verano en esta parte del mundo, y tambi\u00e9n celebramos la noche de San Ju\u00e1n (o noche de brujas) quemando buenos deseos y malos recuerdos, lavando nuestras caras en r\u00edos o fuentes naturales para mantener la belleza, e intentando averiguar nuestro futuro usando huevos.<\/p>\n Como sab\u00e9is, casi todas las celebraciones espa\u00f1olas tienen un plato o bebida t\u00edpicos asociados a ellas, y este es el caso de San Ju\u00e1n y la queimada. Es esta una bebida tradicional gallega hecha con orujo o aguardiente, c\u00e1scaras de naranja o lim\u00f3n y az\u00facar como ingredientes principales. Alguna gente tambi\u00e9n pone granos de caf\u00e9, trozos de fruta o canela. Yo nunca la he preparado, pero s\u00e9 que hay que quemarla a fuego lento en una cazuela de barro. Cuando se emprende, muestra unas preciosas llamas azules.<\/p>\n Cada 23 de junio, durante la preparaci\u00f3n de la queimada, ten\u00e9is que recitar el conjuro de la queimada, un poema que protege contra la magia negra y las brujas, y mantiene a los malos esp\u00edritus lejos.<\/p>\n Me temo que llego un poco tarde para esta noche de San Juan, pero aqu\u00ed ten\u00e9is el conjuro para el pr\u00f3ximo a\u00f1o.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hi all! Some days ago we welcome summer in this part of the world, and we also celebrated St John\u2019s night (or witches’ night) burning good wishes and bad memories, washing our faces in rivers or natural springs to keep our beauty, and trying to find out our future using eggs (read more about all…<\/p>\n |