Las Carantoñas

San Sebastian and the creatures of the forest

Tradition has it that St. Sebastian, a Roman military officer, was condemned to be devoured by wild beasts in the stadium on Palatine Hill because he was a Christian. As these, hypnotized by the charisma of the martyr, did not devour him, he was killed and left to die.
 
In Acehuche, something similar is recreated every year. Several Carantoñas, characters covered with skins that carry in their hands sticks of wild olive tree, walk around the town on the day of San Sebastian paired and make faces to visitors while chanting something that seems remote: "GU". Later, San Sebastián is taken out of the church and "los tiraores" shoot their shotguns into the air launching salvos in honor of the saint who is paraded through the village in a procession in which also participate "las regaoras" throwing confetti.
 
All this before "la vaca tora" appears and sends everyone home until the following year.