All Photos © Maite Hernandez

Photographer Maite Hernandez spent four days capturing the Patum de Berga, a popular, traditional festival celebrated each year in the Catalan city of Berga during the feast of Corpus Christi. Residents gather in the main square dressed as mystical and symbolic figures, and dance to music provided by a drum, known as a tabal. The festival is also known for spectacular displays of pyrotechnics. “One of the most emotional moments was seeing the town in darkness and then watching as hundreds of sparklers emerged from that darkness and circulated in a very small space packed with people. There are no words for that feeling. In just a few minutes, it had all turned to smoke … There’s something magical about this festival blending mythology with music and fire … and something very human about the people of Berga that made me feel right at home,” Hernandez says.

– courtesy Maite Hernandez