There’s a rather unusual tradition still alive in San Juan de la Rambla, involving a trip to the coast, a few baskets and a legume that most people probably don’t give much thought to.
It’s the traditional soaking of chochos, a local name for lupins, which are soaked in the sea to remove their natural bitterness.
And yes, people actually still do this.
Down to the sea with the chochos
For the traditional event, participants dressed in 20th-century farming clothes and made their way down the Ruiz ravine towards the coast.
The day began with fireworks and the distinctive sound of conch shells, marking the start of the procession.
The men traditionally prepared baskets from materials including banana leaves and wicker, which were then used to carry the chochos down to the sea.
Once they reached the coast, the legumes were thrown into the waves and left to soak.
It sounds simple enough, but there’s quite a bit of history behind it.
A tradition with a social side
The event is led by María Dolores Santana del Castillo, known as Loli, and her husband Marcelino Reyes González.
For Loli, reviving the tradition is about more than the chochos themselves.
She explains that this type of gathering was once particularly important for women, providing one of the few opportunities they had to socialise outside the home.
The couple want to recreate that sense of community while keeping the story of the tradition alive for younger generations.
And judging by the atmosphere on the coast, the younger ones seem quite happy to join in.
There was plenty of talking, laughing and general messing about as people threw the chochos into the waves, with younger participants following the example of the older generations.
Weeks of preparation for a few hours
The actual event only lasts a few hours, but the preparation starts much earlier.
The chochos are planted almost a year in advance.
Traditionally, villagers would make the journey down to the coast to soak them while also taking part in the festivities dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary.
The chochos would be left soaking while everyone got on with the celebrations.
A fairly efficient bit of multitasking.
Once the soaking was finished, the legumes could be eaten, often accompanied by a glass of local wine.
The event is also linked to the local wine harvest, with Marcelino explaining that soaking the chochos traditionally coincided with tasting the year’s new wine.
Keeping the tradition alive
Loli and Marcelino are members of a local cultural group involved in reviving other traditions from the area.
For Loli, these customs aren’t simply things to mention in a history book.
As she puts it, “Tradition isn’t just to be mentioned; it’s a guiding light for our culture.”
And that’s probably the important bit.
The soaking of chochos might sound like a fairly odd thing to organise a celebration around, but behind it are stories about farming, food, wine, family and the social life of the village.
It’s the sort of local tradition that could easily disappear if nobody bothers to keep doing it.
Thankfully, San Juan de la Rambla is still bothering.