If you are a new tuna member, you need to be ‘baptized’ at your first festival in the fountain of the relevant city, according to tradition. Members of Spanish associations, but also those of the organizing Eindhoven student association Tuna Ciudad de Luz, were the dupe last Sunday. The newcomers could undress in Catharina square, climb over a plastic ramp and being witnessed by a crowd of Eindhoven spectators dive into the tiny swimming pool at the end of the construction. This contraption had been set up for want of an appropriate fountain in the city center. The naked bodies caused great hilarity among the spectators.

Pieter, Guy, Kevin and Aryan from Tuna Ciudad de Luz are facing the construction with some trepidation. Boosted by their fellow members (‘Venga!’) the boxer shorts are dropped at last. “I thought we could keep them on”, says Guy Dubois afterwards, when he is home and dry again with a towel wrapped round his waist. “Quite disappointing that everything had to go off, but it was funny in the end.”
The three Spaniards of Tuna de Navales de Madrid turn things into a genuine show later on. While stripping they are on the obstacle course and eventually, accompanied by laughter and applause, they reveal their most intimate parts. Five girls are in for luck; they can slide down the construction in their suits.
The organization of the Tuna festival was in the hands of the male members of student associations Tuna Ciudad de Luz and their female counterpart La Tuniña. This year some four hundred and fifty Portuguese, Dutch and Spanish (former) students added luster to the musical event. The Tuna festival is held every two to three years; the next session has been planned for 2011. (JvG)/.