About twenty people attended the presentation of the entity, which seeks to reinterpret traditions and create a shared identity so that the Fires i Festes de la Santa Creu in Figueres better represent the city. The choice of the name, Mistaires de Figueres, is not accidental, as it combines tradition, memory, and resistance.
“"The mistaires were people who made matches retail, and when the Spanish State established the phosphorus monopoly, their artisanal work was prohibited. The mistaires are a humble symbol of resistance that truly represents our values."
During the event, homage was paid to the figure of Maria Ricart, a mistaire from Figueres in the 19th century who was imprisoned up to five times for continuing to manufacture matches clandestinely. According to Txell Garcia, Ricart is a “reference for what we want to do and, furthermore, she is a fighting woman.”
The intergenerational entity aims for its activities to be included in the festival program starting in 2026. Although they have not yet contacted the City Council, they are open to collaboration and joining forces with other entities in the capital of Alt Empordà, stressing that “everyone can be a mistaire.”
