September 29, 2023

Erasmus+ in Malaga to discover the biznagueros and the Arab heritage of Spain

Walking through the wide streets of downtown Malaga, we cannot fail to notice men dressed in white shirts, black pants and a red sash cinched at the waist selling beautiful fragrant white flowers: these are the biznagueros, a typical and important figure in Malaga’s popular tradition. There is a bronze statue in the park near the city hall, in the Pedro Luis Alonso gardens, that pays homage to this traditional craft that has been handed down from generation to generation. The term biznagueros originates from Málaga’s signature flower, the biznaga, a name of Arabic origin linked to the city’s Muslim history that means ‘gift from God.’

Effectively, the biznaga is not a real flower but is a kind of handmade ornament with a very delicate procedure that only the people of Málaga know perfectly well and carry out in a precise and accurate way: jasmine flowers are tucked into the stem of another wild plant. When the flowers open, they form a beautiful round composition like a sphere that becomes something unique and special.

In fact, the biznaga is a handcrafted composition that requires a lot of practice, skill and patience: in May the nerdo, a kind of thistle found mostly in summer, is harvested and will be the basis of the floral structure. The nerdo is left to dry in the sun and then soaked in water for a few hours to soften it. Next, the nerdo stems are cut and given their characteristic circular shape; then the jasmine flowers are added one by one while they are still closed. Finally the jasmines as the hours pass magically open giving off a strong scent and distinctive fragrance.

This tradition is part of Malaga’s Arab heritage: hundreds of years ago the Moors introduced the summer jasmine plant to the city, which has been growing thriving and luxuriant ever since, thanks in part to the exceptionally favorable climate. Today, the biznaga has become the symbol of Malaga and spreads its fragrance through the gardens, patios, and balconies of the homes of the malagueños.

Even the Malaga Spanish Film Festival award, which is held annually in the city generally between March and April, consists of a golden biznaga for best film and silver for other awards. This festival was established in 1998 to encourage the dissemination and promotion of Spanish cinematography and film culture in general through short films and documentaries both nationally and internationally.

Students and teachers will admire these special creations during City Tours led by the staff of Tribeka, our Malaga-based training agency, during their Erasmus+ internship.

Written by Anna Carla Ronchi

Related Posts

An Amarcord and a piadina passing under the Arch of Augustus: when Erasmus+ in Rimini turns into a movie

June 10, 2022

June 10, 2022

According to popular opinion, the city of Rimini evokes many things: sea and sun, fun, sport, food and culture, the...

Erasmus+ KA2 “Playing 4 Soft Skills” project: gamification as a pedagogical approach

June 9, 2022

June 9, 2022

Why is non-formal education important? Everyday life and professional activity in the 21st century often require us flexibility, creativity and...

Erasmus+ KA2: “Skills Act 4 VET” with wind in its sails

January 24, 2022

January 24, 2022

The “Skills Act 4 VET” project is gaining momentum for its last phase of development. With many goals successfully achieved...

5 tips for an effective dissemination strategy for an Erasmus+ project

February 11, 2020

February 11, 2020

During the project evaluation phase, one of the quality criteria examined with greater attention regards the realization and management of...

An insight Into ETN Business Lab, our training agency in Sofia

January 31, 2023

January 31, 2023

Every day ETN’s training agencies welcome hundreds of students from all over Europe; from their arrival to the accommodation in...

His heart will remain in Malaga: Jakub and his internship at Tribeka

April 17, 2019

April 17, 2019

The song “Malaga” by Fred Bongusto has been buzzing in my head since this morning and this is exactly where...

Cultural awareness: internationalizing the school with Erasmus+

November 10, 2021

November 10, 2021

What is cultural awareness One of the key competences of lifelong learning – cultural awareness and expression – includes the...

Discovering Malaga

July 19, 2016

July 19, 2016

6 things you should know about the Spanish city

Berlink, the university and an Erasmus+ internship: Raffaella’s experience in Berlin

October 19, 2022

October 19, 2022

My name is Raffaella, I’m 22 years old and I’m currently graduating in my bachelor’s degree at the University of...

Teachers from public primary school in the Zawierzbie in training in Spain

October 23, 2019

October 23, 2019

A group of teachers from the Public Primary School The Home Army in Zawierzbie as part of the “European School@...

Erasmus+: the latest news from the KA2 IPAL project

November 2, 2022

November 2, 2022

The IPAL project is bursting with news! On the 28th of September the IPAL partners met in Sofia for the...

WISE: the Italian Transnational Meeting of the Erasmus+ KA2 project

February 25, 2022

February 25, 2022

Few days ago the Italian Transnational Meeting of the Erasmus Plus KA2 project “WISE – Woman, Innovative, Successful, Empowered” was...

Students will learn lessons with VR technology

July 26, 2023

July 26, 2023

“Digital Education Materials for Sustainable Textile Education (Vir2TEX)” Erasmus Plus project held the final meeting Ege students will learn lessons...

Andalusia, Costa del Sol, Malaga: Erasmus+ in Tribeka means beauty, art and culture

May 3, 2022

May 3, 2022

Andalucia is the most southern region of Spain and is composed of 8 provinces (Almería, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Malaga and Seville) and...

When there is Europe

May 9, 2022

May 9, 2022

When there is Europe, there is the free movement of people in all the countries that are part of it:...

Comments
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter