Torremolinos revives a lost tradition: a symbolic net casting at La Carihuela beach on July 15, with fishermen dressed in marengo outfits and the jábega as the star.
On July 15, from eight to ten in the morning, La Carihuela beach will turn into a living museum of traditional fishing. The Torremolinos Town Hall, along with the La Carihuela Traditional Rowing and Paddling Club and local residents, has organised a symbolic net casting at the boat ramp next to the Plaza del Remo, as part of the Virgen del Carmen festivities.
This activity will allow attendees to experience firsthand a fishing technique that dates back to Phoenician times and has nearly disappeared from the Málaga coastline. It is not just a spectacle: it is a collective memory exercise for a neighbourhood that looks out to sea.
An ancestral technique called jábega
The net, also known as jábega, is a type of beach seine fishing. It involves casting the net into the sea with one end secured on land and the other attached to a boat. Once set, it is retrieved by pulling from the beach, capturing the fish in its path.
On this occasion, participants will wear the traditional marengo outfit, the attire of fishermen from the past. They will also wear the traya, a belt or harness worn like a bandolier that they used to pull the jábega while walking from the shore to the beach. An essential element that ensured efficiency and safety during the task.
For the younger generation, seeing a group of men and women with traya and jábega on the shore will be like attending a period film. For the veterans, it is a nod to a not-so-distant past that deserves to be remembered.
A neighbourhood that honours its patroness
The net casting is part of the festivities in honour of the Virgen del Carmen de la Carihuela, the patroness of fishermen. Each year, the neighbourhood engages in processions, street parties, and events that keep the maritime identity alive. This revival of traditional fishing adds an ethnographic value that goes beyond mere festivity.
The La Carihuela Traditional Rowing and Paddling Club, which will carry out the activity, has been working for years to preserve ancient navigation and fishing techniques. Their efforts have been key to making this symbolic casting possible, with the support of locals who still remember how fishing was done on the beach.
The Torremolinos Town Hall, for its part, has aimed to highlight a tradition already lost in the municipality, but which is part of the intangible heritage of the coast. This is not the first time a similar activity has been organised, but it is one of the most carefully planned in terms of clothing and equipment.
Attendees will be able to see the jábega up close, touch the traya, and ask fishermen about how it works. A unique opportunity to understand how the grandparents of La Carihuela earned their living.
The event is on Wednesday, July 15, at eight in the morning. The location is the boat ramp next to the Plaza del Remo. Entry is free, and it is recommended to arrive early to not miss the moment the net is cast into the sea. Afterwards, there will be time for a morning swim or a coffee at the beach bar.
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