Avi Mateu
Peoncero (1930) Navarcles

Mateu never knew his parents. As a child, he lived in the Casa Maternitat in Barcelona, ​​from where he moved to the Casa Caridad. At 12, he was adopted by a family from Navarcles, where he has lived for the rest of his life. What makes Mateu most extraordinary is his passion for making children happy. He says it may be because he lacked someone to play with as a child, or perhaps he had a calling to be a teacher. What is clear is that for Mateu, children have been his life. In the summer, when he goes down to the square, there is already a group of children waiting for him to make kites, jump rope, or make a hoop dance. Better known as Avi, Mateu not only plays; he also invents games and makes toys, especially spinning tops, of which he has a collection of more than 200. He doesn't like to see children playing with cell phones; he says that old-fashioned toys are the most beautiful there are, no matter how simple they are, like string tops, which can be made to dance in many ways and require skill. Among the games he likes most are "wall palm, bottle caps, and tazos." On the wall of his spinning top museum, there's a note hanging that says: When you see him there in the square, everyone thinks to themselves, how can it be that Grandpa Mateo plays with him every afternoon? And you may not remember that for any child, the most beautiful toy is to play with someone older.