About the Basque Country

On the Monday following the last Sunday of January, about twenty men or "ioaldunak" from Zubieta, a small town in the heart of Navarre, gather in the town''s square near the pelota court. Dressed in Basque traditional footwear, slips and wool lined coats, and carrying huge cowbells on their backs and hispos (a kind of magic wand made with horsehair) in their hands, the men walk in procession to the neighbouring town of Iturren. They are led by one man, who sets the pace of the march and the rhythm of the music of the cowbells, which sound thanks to the rhythmical movements of the "ioaldunak".

Along the way, the zanpantzarrak from Zubieta are met by the zanpantzarrak from Iturren, and both groups then walk to Iturren together and march through the streets there. The next day, the zanpantzarrak from Iturren are the ones who must return the honour of marching to Zubieta. Dressed in the same way, half way along they are met by the zanpantzarrak from the neighbouring village of Zubieta, to which all men return and march through the streets.

This ritual tradition is has close links with nature. It is said that the sound by the cowbells and the shaking of the hispos scare away the bad spirits.