So here’s a story, and apologies for the deviation from the 4 a day picture diary…
We are walking into Puente La Reina when I see these iron statues.
A man and woman poised with some sort of digging tool.
The statues aren’t ‘ancient’ and there’s no explanation of what they are about.
Obviously, I’m drawn to the digging tool, having a mild interest in this sort of thing. Because ‘digging is living’ as I might have said in a previous post.
The Laya Digging Tool.
An enquiry with the host of the place we were staying revealed that these were Laya.
Digging tools that were used in the the Basque Country days before agricultural machinery became common.
It was something he remembered his Grandfather using.
A bit of a dig around the internet and it looks like the Laya may predate ploughing with animals, well before machines.
There are even some ancient carvings of them on Churches.
If you fancy a good dig into their history and cultural significance have a look at this video. It also features the blacksmith work required to make a Laya, using Bilbao steel.
Speaking of cultural significance…
In Puente La Reina there is a festival of Spade Racing.
The Hotel Host was telling me that people run around the streets in a race using the Laya.
The end of the video (33.40 mins) it shows Spade Racing in Puente La Reina, what looks like a gruelling pastime. A combination of stilt walking up cobbled streets.
The important point is that the local people deliberately created the Spade Race to keep a part of history and culture alive.
I’m left wondering what sort of similar pastimes we have in Wales?
First I’m wondering what exists around coal mining, iron and steel making or slate quarrying that would be similar to the Spade Race?
Second, I know I keep talking about Forestry Rutter Spades, but I’m also wondering what you could do with one of them?
Normal service will be resumed tomorrow. We are exhausted after the walk from Puente La Reina to Estelle.
PS. A link to other material about Laya’s
What's the PONT 
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