The Magosto in Galicia

The Magosto

• In the modern world that surrounds us, we tend to forget about the primary place nature should have in our lives, if we observe thouroughly some popular traditions that still survive ,we shall be able to see the importance that the relationship between men and nature has always had; men were aware of the utter importance of that bond for their own survival, they therefore wouldn't hesitate to honour it with different rituals. For instance, one of those ancient rites, the one between men and the chestnut tree, is still being held in Galicia every autumn and is called the “Magosto.

Magosto’s Origins• It is a very old tradition which could have started in the Paleolitic

era and which would have been intended to celebrate a fruit which was the main food supply at that time.

• Then, as the chestnut season happens to be at the same time as the “samahaim” ritual (equivalent to Halloween) which the celtictribes used to celebrate in order to sooth the other world's powers and ask for abundance in their harvest, they simply joined the two celebrations. The ritual was held in the middle of the forest as the Celts didn't have proper temples: their ceremonies were held in a clearing in the forest. Furthermore, we know thanks to the greekpoet Homer, that in the celtic religion, the druids worshipped the chestnut tree as it was considered a ‘fruit given by the gods’. When the Romans arrived the tradition expanded as it was celebrated at the same time as the “saturnalia”, which is the reason why for a long time it was commonly believed that the chestnut had been introduced to Spain by the romans.

How do you prepare a magosto??

• The first step is to get chestnuts which are in abundance in November. Then we have to light a fire (sometimes with laurel tree branches) to roast them; the chestnuts are put inside a metal pan that has holes in the bottom. Before putting the chestnuts inside it, you have to cut them open a little bit so they won't explode or crack open because of the heat. Finally, you spread the chestnuts in the pan and roast them. Once roasted, you peal them while they are still hot and eat immediately.

The chesnut tree• For a long time, the belief was that the chestnut had come

from the East, and that it had been introduced into Europe during the roman empire. But recent studies show that chestnut trees were already in Europe long before the roman era.

• The chestnut tree prefers cool and sheltered within a template but humid climate. It can easily be found in the South of England, the Caspian Sea, the iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands, the North of Morroco and Algeria. It can also be found in the North of Germany, in the USA, in China and Japan.

• Like the majority of its family, dry fruits, the chestnut is a typical food during autumn. Its callory content is lower because it's fat content is also lower, nevertheless it presents a higher amount of carbohydrates. It was the main nutrient until corn and potatoes arrived in Europe. due to that from the XVIth century on, the chestnut lost the importance it had once had.