Soller Moors and Christians battle

The Moors arrive! | Pere Bota

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterSoller10/05/2022 08:45
TW0

One of Mallorca's great spectacles, the Es Firó Moors and Christians battle in Soller, returned on Monday after a two-year absence because of Covid. The cancellations of the past two years just added to what it is always a highly anticipated occasion, and there were large crowds to witness the encounters in Soller itself and in Puerto Soller.

Captain Angelats (Guillem Coll) called on the people of Soller to fight - "A la lluita sollerics!" - and fight they did. Different to previous years was the absence of the firing of shotguns - because of new Spanish legislation - but traditional blunderbusses were still permitted.

Some 100 security personnel controlled access to Soller's main square, Plaça Constitució, where capacity was limited to 8,000. Only participants and people with official accreditation in the form of a wristband could enter for the final stage of the great battle. This is a control system that was introduced before the pandemic.

Around eight o'clock in the evening, a large group of corsairs started to loot the church and take captives. This signalled the climax to the event - the clash between Captain Angelats and Ulutx Ali - and victory for the Sollerics being proclaimed.