The first women’s association of the locality has been presented in Mojácar, and which with the name “Mariquita La Posá Women’s Association, got underway with a public act at the foot of the cave around which was formed one of the municipality’s most famous legends.
A presentation which had a double character as Mojácar Council had for the occasion renovated this enclave and the surroundings for its incorporation into the already existing places of tourism interest and as an added value to the numerous points of interest in Mojácar’s cultural offer.
The event was attended by Nuria Rodriguez Martin, Mayor of Berja and Equality Deputy; Yolanda Fernández, Director of the Equality and Family Department; Francisco García Cerdá, Councillor Attached to the Mayor’s Office in Mojácar Council; the association’s governing board, as well as many members of the public, among whom were Mojácar Mayor Rosa María Cano and members of her governing board.
When it came to the speeches, Francisco García Cerdá wanted to thank the Almería Provincial Council for the support received for this initiative of Mojácar women, pioneers in the locality, as well as the municipal enhancement of another attraction of the municipality’s heritage, in this case a magical place recovered from tradition. For his part, from the local council, Francisco García Cerdá publicly offered the support of the local authority so that they continue with their activity.
Raquel Jiménez, Secretary of the association, highlighted the union, strength and creativity that arose thanks to the Ferrero Rocher Christmas award, “a magical Christmas that we intend to extend throughout the year”, and from which stemmed the idea of the association’s creation.
For her part, the Mariquita La Posá President, Ginesa María Montoya García, after thanking the local council for their unconditional collaboration and the Provincial Council for their support, expressed her satisfaction towards the members making up this association: women dedicated to rescuing the Mojácar traditions, “their customs and the extensive cultural heritage of the village that will only be possible “with everyone’s support.” An association that was born “open, participatory, apolitical, open to dialogue and independent.”
Despite its short life, they have been in charge of decorating the indalos distributed around the old town, giving them themes, according to the occasion, and they have recovered the age-old custom of the Christmas bonus and the carnival masked parade, among other performances.
At the same time, Mojácar Council has proceeded around the cave to recover the vegetation, creating a small garden, installing iron benches at the higher points, lighting and installing large old photographs in which young people can be seen in the cave and a sign explaining the legend, underlining its beauty and its magic.
The legend of Mariquita la Posá (or the newly-wed), tells a story from many years ago in which an old alchemist lived in the mouth of a cave, located on a slope that puts us at the Plaza Nueva viewing point. An epidemic of plague that was devastating the population of Mojácar was the reason why María, Mariquita, a beautiful young local woman, bravely decided to marry the old sorcerer who possessed the infallible remedy that would alleviate this evil. After the marriage, the alchemist, fearful of his wife’s flight once she had got hold of the “secret”, day after day put off giving María the remedy for the village’s suffering. The woman, eager to free the population, one night when the sorcerer was sleeping, steeling herself with courage seized the pot which contained the life-saving liquid, thus exorcising the village from its terrible punishment. Fearing the revenge of the magician upon waking up and knowing the truth, she poured the liquid inside his mouth in order to rid herself of him for good.
Due to impatience and enthusiasm, on shaking the jar, a drop of the concoction fell on her right hand, leaving a hole, and casting a spell on her forever. And they say that the two are still there, “bewitched” … and that on the nights of a full moon you can see Mariquita prowling around the streets of the village lamenting her ill fate… The people of Mojácar, grateful, on passing by the cave used to sing: “Come out, come out Mariquita la Posá, the one with the “pierced” hand, and if she didn’t have it the whole village would perish.”
