Aratuste of Mundaka, the Carnival of Atorrak and Lamiak

The Aratuste of Mundaka is a Basque carnival tradition celebrated every year in this coastal town in Bizkaia. Its distinctive character lies in the clear division between two groups of participants, each with their own identity, costumes and time of day.

The men, known as atorrak, take to the streets in the morning dressed in white skirts, blouses and trousers, with a pillowcase worn as a hood and a coloured handkerchief. The women, called lamiak, follow in the afternoon, wearing black dresses, white wigs, a coloured headscarf and painted faces.

This alternation turns the Aratuste into a celebration that unfolds across the whole day, filling the streets of Mundaka with a festive, lively atmosphere. For those travelling along the Bizkaia coast, the Aratuste offers a direct encounter with the Basque carnival tradition — an expression rooted in historical costume, humour and community spirit.