The tuna’s are back in Mojacar!

No, not the fish farms – the university singing groups.

These groups of slightly misaffected uni students, who club together in 19th century outfits to sing harmonious songs, are a mad mix between flamenco, goth and university club. And for the second year running, they’re coming back to Mojácar.

The event is rather grandly called the Second World Encounter of Tunas (II Encuentro Mundial de Tunas), although “World” appears to mean Granada and Seville (although last year a group from Peru turned up).

Basically, a bunch of uni students, who in the UK would probably be goths, come by bus to Mojácar, and have a singalong.

Here they are, in a slightly blurry video entitled the Tuna Universitaria del CMU Loyola (Granada) presents “Popurrí de Pasodobles”

Great, aren’t they? Look at him go!

The GF, a lady who endured five years in Granada uni getting her masters degree, and someone with a great appreciation for the traditional arts of Andalucia, is rather sniffy about them. Says they’re usually rich kids with a posh background who don’t fancy the idea of joining a cofradia and having to lug the saints around at Easter, so they get their traditional kicks this way.

And yet, it’s so much more civilised than the traditional Brit uni past-times of drinking, carousing and joining far left parties to throw rocks through the windows of banks on weekends.

Anyway, it’s sponsored by the Townhall of Mojácar, Granada Uni, Moors & Christians association of Mojacar, Mandala Beach, Urbaser and Best Hotels.

They kick off with a singing tour of the town on the 8th, at various locations such as the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and carrying on to Plaza de Urbanismo, Plaza del Hotel Pueblo Indalo, Plaza Nueva, Plaza del Parque Comercial and Plaza de la Fuente. On the Saturday there is a pasacalles starting at 13:30 hours through the town, ending at 19:00 with the winning bands, after which there are prizes given out, food and a dance. Just follow your ears.