THE UNION / The cultural agenda of the festival praises the role of the children of the municipality with conferences and book presentations

La Casa del Piñón hosted a new day of the festival’s cultural agenda. The fourth day of the contest began with a lecture about the children of the Gavia, children who formed a crew of workers that is used in the trecheo, that is, in the transfer of cargo from one part of the mine to another. Under the title «Child labor in mining in southeastern Spain: gavineros children», the professors of the University of Murcia, Ángel Pascual Martínez Soto and Miguel Ángel Pérez de Perceval, analyzed the fundamental role of these children for the family economy .

Pérez de Perceval pointed out that the minors took advantage of the smallness of their bodies to perform specific jobs. «We can affirm that children are consubstantial to the development of mining, labor represented 16% of the workforce,» explained the professor. Perez de Perceval said that «since the age of 4 the children worked in the mine, but the average age was between 8-9 years, up to the restrictions in the 1900 law».

For his part, Ángel Pascual Martínez Soto explained that the main work of the minors was the haulage and labor transportation. In addition, they completed the same workday as their elders. «The harshness of the work involved would be consequences for the children, who suffered from hernias, sight diseases and morbidity,» the professor closed.

Then came the presentation of the book «Those years of our childhood: The Union 1940-1989», by its author Salvador Saura, and presented by José Miguel Vegas Balboa. The cover of the publication has been designed by the unionense artist Estebal Bernal. Traditional and popular games native to the area, a historical review through the memory of children. 133 games and 133 images that give life to this book. «It can be read in every corner of the country, because it is about the entertainment of all children, but it includes the unionense idiosyncrasy, with typical games of the area,» explained Saura.

On the afternoon session, the «Pencho Cros a la Diffusion Musical» award was also presented to the City Council of Sagunto, which was collected by its mayor, Francisco Fernández, who stamped his signature on the Foundation’s book. Thus, the close relationship that both municipalities have maintained for a decade is recognized. Sagunto hosts one of the most numerous selective tests, with more than a thousand applicants. «A synergy has been created, a nexus, and we will continue to work for it, because there are very few places where La Union is so present,» said the Mayor of La Unión and Executive President of the Cante de las Minas Foundation, Pedro López Milán.

The prize «Rojo el apargatero» was awarded to the Sagunto Flamenco Cultural Association, thus reinforcing the close relationship that exists between both institutions.

The award «Pencho Cros a la Difusión del Flamenco» was picked up by an excited Enrique Hernández Luike. The Andalusian is a reference for the lyrics of his songs. Some of the miners that maestro Pencho Cros played have come out of his fist. «I have found a poetic happiness in La Unión thanks to Pencho Cros», recalled Hernández Luike.