“Moros Nuevos” (New Moors)
Tradition, Brotherhood, and a Firm Step Forward Since 1854
According to oral tradition, Moros Nuevos was founded in 1854, driven by the interest of a group of muleteers from Villena who maintained close commercial and personal ties with their counterparts in the city of Alcoy.
These journeys, transporting paper and cloth to La Mancha and Extremadura, also served to bring festive inspiration to Villena—specifically, the influence of Filà La Llana, one of the most emblematic Moorish comparsa from Alcoy.
Military Heritage and Identity
Much like their comrades on the Moorish side, Moros Nuevos adopted elements typical of the Gastadores (Sappers) from the Spanish army.
They wear a backpack and black leather apron, carrying their weapon—the characteristic “pico”—on their left arm, in the same manner as the Gastadores did between 1850 and 1859.
In 1860, Juan Menor y Menor ordered seven identical arquebuses from the armory city of Eibar, leading some to mistakenly interpret this year as the founding of the comparsa, overlooking the importance of oral history and popular memory.
People of the Arrabal, Heart of the Town
The comparsa has its roots in the “Raval Villenero” (Villena’s suburb), with names and nicknames that resonate deeply in local history.
Founders such as Pedro Hurtado Menor, Juan Menor y Menor (known as “Uncle Juan the Priest”), Pedro Calomardo García (“Periquín”), Luis García Poveda, and endearing nicknames like “El Cachano,” “Caratorta,” “Costillares,” “Volteta,” “Cuco the Trumpet,” and “Uncle Lola” are part of the very soul of Moros Nuevos.
The first recorded president was Miguel Esquembre Fita, in 1903.
A Comparsa with Its Own Identity
Moros Nuevos have managed to preserve their essence over more than a century and a half of history.
With a sober and elegant parade style, they have upheld respect for their origins and legacy, always being a central part of the most solemn events of the festival, such as the Christian Embassy to the Moors or their participation in the Farewell Pilgrimage to the Virgin.
Today, they remain a symbol of the Moorish faction, a symbol of living tradition, and an example of how the Moors and Christians festivals in Villena are a collective heritage, shaped by the people’s enduring spirit.