La Tambora

Description

Held since time immemorial on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, throughout the night of the 7th to the 8th. A large drum is used to lead the prayer, giving the festival its name.

Through its streets, a testament to the town's Muslim past, the image of the Virgen de la Aurora is carried in procession at midnight, 4 am and 6 am. This tradition, rooted in the old Brotherhood of the Souls, involves a “wake-up call” performed by the people of Cambil with a large drum, accompanied by dawn songs: “A la Aurora venimos buscando, que dicen que anda por este lugar; recogiendo flores y jazmines para los devotos que van a rezar” ("We come seeking the Dawn, said to be wandering this place, gathering flowers and jasmine for the faithful who go to pray"). The steady, resonant, energetic “tan tán tan tararán tan” of the drum touches the hearts of the people of Cambil. During the procession, residents hand out sweets, liqueurs and more among the penitents.

Years ago, “la tambora” also used to go out on Christmas Eve, with people walking the streets singing a song about the souls in purgatory, collecting alms on their behalf as they went. When they passed in front of a house in recent mourning, they would not stop, since the song, however well-intentioned, did not sit well with the strict mourning customs of the past.

Not so long ago, the Dawn Mass was still held very early in the morning. Some years, the cold was bitter, with frost falling on the faithful as they made their way to the Hermitage of the Señor del Mármol to fetch the image of the Aurora and bring it to the church to celebrate Mass on this feast of the Immaculate Conception.