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Election results for Pollenca's La Patrona 2012
Pollenca and Puerto Pollensa vote for their favourite candidates
Every year in the middle of July the locals of Pollenca vote for the main roles in one of the most important festivals in Mallorca. On Friday night, the key roles for the mock battle of La Patrona de Pollenca, the ‘Simulacre dels Moros i Cristians’ were decided by ballot box in an election featuring 32 candidates.
Voting began at 6.00pm with locals leaving their place of work to register their vote for their favourite candidate. The ballot boxes closed at 10.30pm, after which the votes and results were placed and counted in the Plaça Vella before being projected onto a screen on the side of one of the buildings. Some 3000 Pollencins voted - voting is only available to residents of towns covered by the Ajuntament Pollenca.
Five teams of three put themselves forward for the enemy Moor roles of Dragut, Lloctinent and Abanderat. There were only three teams of four for this years l’Ajuntament Vella - part of the Pollenca council who fight for the local townspeople. The main role, the one with most honour and prestige is the hero, Joan Mas, and this role drew seven contenders.
The winners of this years elections for ‘Simulacre dels Moros i Cristians’ 2012 are:
l’Ajuntament Vella (Christians) - Represents the council at the time of the battle. Won by Jordi Reynés, Paco Sánchez, Sebastiá Morro and Miquel Morro, who are all now in their sixties. According to their interview for the local paper ‘Punt Informatiu Pollenca’ they have each participated in La Patrona since they were 14. Despite having taken part in the battle for around 40 years, they have never had the chance to prove themselves in a lead role and are taking this as their first and last opportunity. Traditionally those representing the l’Ajuntament Vella were of an older age and this years candidates want to return to this tradition after a few years of more youthful Pollencins in this role.
Dragut, Lloctinent and Abanderat (Moors) - The leaders of the enemy side. Dragut played by Miquel Vives is the main Moor that instigates the battle with the heroic Joan Mas and the townspeople of Pollenca, his trusty sidekicks Abanderat (waving the Moors flag) will be played by Amador Chacón and Lloctinent (lieutenant) will be played by Jaume Vives.
Joan Mas (Christian) - Jaume Cànaves tried last year for the first time to win the position of Joan Mas, although unsuccessful, he kept his hopes high and the fruits of this labour paid off this year as he won the protagonist role. Jaume was the only candidate for Joan Mas from the town of Puerto Pollensa whereas the other six were from the old town of Pollenca.
Find out more about The Battle ‘Simulacre dels Moros i Cristians’ in Pollenca.
