The Filà Pirates de Oliva, one of the oldest and most numerous comparsas in the Moors and Christians festivities of Oliva, has begun its 75th-anniversary celebrations. The events included the placement of a commemorative plaque at the very spot where, according to legend, a group of friends decided to found the comparsa.
“"In Bar Lírico, formerly located here, a group of friends decided to found the Comparsa Pirates to actively participate in the Moors and Christians Fair and Festivities of May 1951. Commemorating its 75th Anniversary. Filà Pirates d’Oliva."
After the plaque's inauguration, the celebration moved to the festero den, which has been remodeled by the comparsa members themselves to offer a more modern image. Attendees were invited to a wine of honor there.
One of the most anticipated moments of the celebration was the official premiere of the new musical piece 'En Roig i Negre', an epic and energetic march-anthem. This composition, with music by Azael Tormo Muñoz and lyrics by Benjamín Martínez Brines, seeks to exalt the feeling of belonging to the filà and aims to become its official anthem. Its performance by the Atomik Band and a choir of comparsa voices became the highlight of the commemorative evening.
The Filà Pirates is the oldest of those parading in the Christian side of Oliva's festivities. Already in the 1950s, during a previous festive period, they bore the same name and wore a similar costume. With the revival of the festival in 1975, a group of friends wanted to revive the 'pirate' spirit, and in 1976, the current Filà Els Pirates was formed, becoming one of the most numerous.
