No 901 Monday 10th - Sunday 16th January 2022
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Keeping people safe and informed for over 18 years - The Costa Blanca’s oldest ‘FREE’ English language newspaper
ALCOY’S 140 YEAR OLD 3 KINGS PARADE ACCUSED OF RACIST STEREOTYPING
ating back almost 140 years, the people of Alcoy, just north of Alicante, dress themselves up as pages.
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They paint their faces black, draw on bright red lips, and dress from head to toe in black clothing Their performance is part of the town’s 3
Kings Parade on 5 January, where they march proudly through the streets alongside roman centurions, dancers, Disney characters and many other people, decked out in their Christmas regalia. But in recent years, these black painted figures, known as pajes negros, have become the subject of heated debate with many people now accusing the tra-
dition of promoting racist stereotypes. During the parade, the pajes use red ladders to climb up onto balconies and deliver presents to the children. It the oldest such parade in Spain with over 2,000 people taking part, around 300 of which are dressed as pages.
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