Carnival Performance, Gender and Ritual Heterodoxy

Abstract

Study of the youth associations in the "merindad" (District) of Busturia, better known in the area as "saragi mutil". These associations, following age and gender criteria, were customary in rural societies until some years ago. These groups of young people are approached in their quality as equals, trying to determine their functions, how they were organised, the norms they followed and which their social role was within the traditional world.