This Monday, April 23rd, was the feast day of the patron saint of Catalunya, Sant Jordi! I spent time exploring the city, wandering the streets, and taking pictures of the celebration. There were rose venders and book venders on every street! I have never seen Barcelona so crowded! I could barely walk in the main thoroughfare of the city. Every person needed to buy a book or a rose! It was amazing to see such mass participation in a cultural holiday. This saint day celebrates the Catalan spirit and national identity. The celebration is similar to Valentines’ Day in the United States. But I prefer Sant Jordi Day; the gifts exchanged in this Catalan holiday are pre-determined. Girls receieve roses and boy receive books. I loved seeing the Catalan flags throughout the city. Regionalist pride is one of the best parts of the study abroad Barcelona experience. I even tried using some of the Catalan that I have picked up to talk to the venders about El Drac! Sant Jordi was one of my favorite days in the city; I spent hours and hours outdoors, observing and participating in the celebrations!
One of the most unique food experiences that I have had in Barcelona first occurred in my homestay. My host mother, Margarita, cooked artichokes in the oven in some mysterious fashion that was entirely foreign to me. I had never eaten an artichoke before, and had never seen anything like her creation. Carlos, my host father, had to demonstrate how to eat this bizarre creation. He plucked the outside pieces of the artichokes, pieces that looked like leaves, and ate just the very bottom portion of each “leaf,” pulling the artichoke apart with his teeth. Once he reached the artichoke heart, he cut it with his knife and ate the entire thing. In the end, his plate was filled with the sharp outer portions of the artichoke! It was a lot of work to eat, and I wasn’t sure I enjoyed the artichoke all that much. However, each time that Margarita made them, I enjoyed them more. Now they are one of my favorite food options in Catalunya. I hope to take the recipe home with me so I can make artichokes for my family in the states!
In Valencia!
In Valencia, I tried another form of traditional Catalan food with the IES group: Calçots. They are a bit like giant onions. Traditionally a food of Catalan rural life and peasantry, this was a messy meal. The onions are grilled over charcoal and it is necessary to peel off the outer burned layer to eat the onion. We tried the calçots with some traditional sauce, and lowered the onions into our mouths. It is not a very “refined” way of eating, (thus its rural and somewhat lower-class origin), but the meal was a fun experience. The calçots were delicious and the trip provided an opportunity to take part in a unique Catalan food tradition!
Even before I decided to study abroad in Barcelona, Spain, I had heard of the FB Barcelona soccer (or fútbol) club. This sport, and this team in particular, are recognized icons of Spanish sports and cultural heritage. I was excited to study abroad in city where there was such team spirit and passionate support for the athletic representatives of the city. I was not disappointed! Support for FCB is widespread and infectious. I love seeing all the little kids in the city, all wearing a tiny Messi jersey and holding an FCB lunchbox or backpack. Before arriving in this city however, I had no idea how integrated the soccer club was to the Catalan cultural identity. In the wake of a recent loss to R. Madrid (horrible!) it becomes even more evident how important FCB is to the Catalan spirit. The soccer club was the only permitted expression of Catalan culture during the Franco years, and remains today as a symbol of independentism and nationalism. The rivalry matches against Madrid pit Catalunya against Spain and reflect the underlying political and social tensions of the regional autonomy.
I find the games to be extremely exciting; I love to see demonstrations of Catalan pride. This support for an organization that is “Més Que un Club” is an interesting manifestation of regionalism and one of the aspects that makes studying abroad in Catalunya such a unique experience. From my bedroom in my homestay in the Eixample, I can hear the action at Camp Nou during the games. I love to look out my window and listen to the players beginning announced. Even more so, I love to hear the songs and the chanting of the spectators during the game. The roars from the crowd punctuate every game and every foul.
However, in my homestay, there is some conflict about FCB. Carlos, my host father, is a huge soccer fan. He watches every possible match. Margarita, my host mother, does not like soccer at all. Except for FC Barcelona, of course. The tension comes from within; Carlos is not native to Barcelona. He was born and raised in Málaga, and as such, supports the R. Madrid. Margarita is a thorough Catalan and has lived in Barcelona all her life. Despite her general disinterest in soccer, she consistently roots for FCB and is only content with victory for the club. This division is a fun and interesting dynamic within my homestay. It also represents the modern culture of Catalunya, which today is made of many, many immigrants, many of whom are from the South of Spain. I am lucky to stay with this family because I have a glimpse of Catalan culture and the conflicting cultural view of the rest of the united Spain!
Me with my host parents, Carlos (a R. Madrid fan) and Margarita (an FCB fan!)
The Spanish nation is officially a “kingdom,” though as a constitutional monarchy, the King, Juan Carlos, does not hold executive power. However, the king recently made the news due to his African hunting trip accident. Juan Carlos was invited to hunt elephants in Botswana by a Saudi billionaire friend. The king was injured during the hunt, however, and was rushed back to Spain for repair and surgery.
The root of the controversy in this issue is that the king was hurt while on a fantastically expensive, frivolous trip to Africa. Spain is in the midst of a drastic economic crisis, and there are countless Spanairds without jobs or sufficient income. Even though the king’s trip was not funded by public money, it still seems inappropriate for the monarch to accept such an extravagant gift and to embark on such an expensive luxury when the citizens of Spain struggle so much financially. The behavior of the king has caused many Spanairds to question the necessity of a monarchy at all. Some have considered this behavior as a signal that the monarchy is outdated and impractical. The king serves no real use to Spain, and some citizens would rather see Spain without a monarch, perhaps returning to the days of the Republic. The king does not seem to demonstrate respect of understanding of the current situation in Spain, and the many conflicts within the royal family have caused the monarchy to fall on desperately unstable times.
In reaction to this tense political situation, the king exited the hospital after his surgery with an apology. The king apologized to the Spanish nation, admitted that he was wrong, and promised that it would never happen again. This apology is unique in the history of the Spanish monarchy; never before has a king apologized or admitted an error in behavior. However, this apology was clearly a manicured move in the wake of Spanish discontent. Further, the king did not specify what his apology was “for.” It is unclear whether he was sorry for his trip to Africa, sorry that he was injured, or even sorry that he was simply caught in this situation.
Regardless, this news story touches on many national cultural issues, including the economic situation and the function and necessity of the monarchy. La Vanguardia reports on a unique moment in Spanish history paired with the modern concerns of a nation in economic difficulty.
Barcelona is located in the north of Spain, and as such serves as a jumping-off point to the rest of Europe. La Vanguardia publishes massive amounts of news concerning world events and international affairs. Spain is a member of the European Union and has close links to other nations in the continent. Events in foreign countries can have affects on Spanish events and culture. La Vanguardia’s concern with foreign affairs also represents the globalized culture of modern Spain, Europe, and the world. International culture is the blending of different nations and concerns. Articles, such as one in La Vanguardia concerning the French elections, acknowledge that global culture is developing more importance in the world today and international awareness is vital to the survival of individual nations.
Hollande
The French are in the midst of presidental elections, which pit the incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy against the socialist candidate François Hollande. Among his campaign promises, Hollande assures the French nation that he will call home the French troops in Afghanistan. The presidental hopeful wants to see all combat units returned to France by the end of 2012. The final elections will be in May, and the socialist candidate currently leads Sarkozy.
Sarkozy
The very issue that the French are concerned with is a global one. International military involvement in the Middle East escalated after the terrorist attacks in New York, on September 11, 2001. From that moment, globalized culture was paramont, as countless nations engaged their military in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations in the Middle East. Spain was a partner to the US in these endeavours as well. La Vanguardia is concerned with an international issue that has also affected the Spanish nation and their participation in the wars in the Middle East. The results of the election in France will change the dynamics in Europe and influence the Middle East policy of the EU. Both of these results are relevant to the global attitude and prescene of the Spanish nation.
Barcelona depends on tourism for much of the city’s economic prosperity. The historic sites of the city and the works of Gaudí draw countless visitors to the city. These tourists spend money in Barcelona’s restaurants and hotels, and they shop along Las Ramblas and other tourist centers. The continued construction of Gaudí’s masterpiece in the Eixample, La Sagrada Familia, is funded by the visitors who pay to enter the modernist church. Many visitors to Barcelona are tourists who are vacationing on cruise ships. These giant ships stop in the Barcelona port, and the travellers are given a day to explore the city.
La Vanguardia recently published an article addressing the tourist industry and changes within the city. The city of Barcelona has plans in the works to prevent large buses and coaches from accessing the pathways in the perimeter of La Sagrada Familia. These coaches are the main means of travel for many tourists visiting the city. Tour operators, coach drivers, tour guides, and many other working in the tourist industry in the Eixample feel threatened by this potential loss of business. If the coaches cannot bring tourists to the area, the shopkeepers and other industries surrounding La Sagrada Familia stand to lose a lot of money. The workers are currently opposing this initative. The city intends to make sidewalk and other pedastrian improvements in the area. La Vanguardia states, “The Eixample district is undertaking the necessary works, basically extensions of sidewalks and crosswalks and signaling pathways to walk from the parking to the temple. Municipal sources said yesterday that ‘will continue talking with the industry to see if improvements can be made”, but stressed, “always on the basis of the project presented in November.'”
The proposal in still under negotiations. La Sagrada Familia is Barcelona’s most-visited tourist destination and the surrounding area in the Exiample is dependent on the tourist industry to survive economically. If the city does enforce this change, many tourists, particularly those travelling via cruise ship, will have a difficult time reaching the site. “‘Our customers have three hours, at most four, to visit the city and these measures would lose 50 minutes to travel between the coach and the Sagrada Familia , and vice versa,’ said Niko Frzop, director of product in Spain, Royal Caribbean.”
This conflict is still unresolved, but the issue itself demonstrates the work of the city council in attempting to make improvements to the Eixample, and also demonstrate Barcelona’s dependency on tourism in its modern culture.
Our class visited the El Raval neighborhood, the neighborhood adjacent to the port. Historically, this neighbor was a center for prostitution and other underground acitivites. The proximity to the port facilitated the thriving prostitution industry as sailors frequented the area in Barcelona. The neighborhood was long home to the fringes of society and was often a difficult living environment for immigrants and the working poor.
Today, El Raval has experienced a revival. Though it is not one of the more “glamorous” areas of Barcelona, the true identity of the modern Catalan culture is evident in El Raval. Renovations in the 1980s attempted to bring the area out of decline. The city did not intend to remove the inhabitants from the neighborhood. This method would only shift the problems in El Raval to another location, and would not solve or improve the city. Instead, the city demolished older buildings to make room for more open public places. Allowing for light and space in the neighborhood made the area more conducive to peace and healthy living and implies a certain standard for the area. The most impressive example of this change is the La Rambla del Raval. Perpendicular to the more famous Rambla, this area in El Raval is open and bright; a pleasant place to citizens to walk or socialize. Having such open spaces encourages a higher standard of living.
Further, the city incorporates old, historic Barcelona buildings into the modern world of El Raval. One example of this is the La Central in El Raval. This modern resource is housed in an abandoned convent and orphanage. The church-related tradition of the city has adapted to embrace the learning and culture of the 21st century. Some of the UB campus is also found in El Raval. The presence of students in the area brings young, new life to El Raval. The students and faculty of these UB campuses are interested in academics and in experiencing the city of Barcelona. The young people in El Raval exemplify the modern culture of Catalunya. In addition to students around the university, our class stopped to see the gathering of skaters outside the MACBA. This group represents the globalized society and mindset of the young, up-coming Catalan culture. They congregate outside of the contemporary art museum, which is a further example of the revival in the area. The art museum is meant to encourage creativty, design, and new media. The university design school also serves this purpose. This youthful enthausiam and encouragement of the arts brings El Raval to the forefront of innovation in design. The skaters outside the MACBA are the culture of young Catalans, international and resistant to traditional ideas of “culture.” Our classmate Cory frequents the area and as such is exposed to this generation of young people.
An old church next to the MACBA further illustrates the cultural identity of Catalunya. The outter wall is covered in graffeti art. This is an interesting juxtaposition of the ancient nad religious and the modern and artistic. It is also interesting to consider the artwork inside the MACBA as compared to the street art work just outside. The old church has been allowed to decay and an entire facade has been wiped out. While it does seem tragic for a historical and religious building to have fallen into such a state, the graffeti allows for the creative output of the city’s modern inhabitants and reflects the cultural values in the area.
El Raval remains one of the fringe areas of Barcelona, but the level of “danger” is not so strong in the area. The renovations to the urban design of the area, the presence of academia and art, and the bustling youth culture have allowed El Raval to thrive. There is still a high population of immigrants in the area, particularly from Pakistan. This multi-cultural population reflects the coming globalization of the modern world. The culture in El Raval is urban, global,
This occupied, (or squatter) house in El Raval is a visual example of the modern cultural of Catalunya. A group of young people have occupied this house for several years. In the spectrum of their global, cosmopolitan society, they have the freedom to live and express themselves through design and the appearance of their home.
modern. The young skaters and artists of the city mingle with the historic buildings of the waterfront. This mix of views, peoples, and cultures reflects what is truly modern Catalan Culture: global and cosmoplitan.
The El Born neighborhood was home to the workers in the medieval guild system. The guilds were similar to unions; they were groups organized by a particular trade which regulated hours, production, prices, and other concerns within each craft. The El Born neighbor still bears the remanents of this system. Many of the streets in the area are named for the particular guild or craft produced along that street in the Middle Ages. Some examples of this are the Carrer dels Carders, the Placa de la Llana, the Carrer dels Cotoners, the Carrer dels Mirallers, and the Carrer d’Espaseria.
Additionally, the houses in the El Born area are designed in the style of “casa-taller,” or house-workshop, the traditional design of guild shops and homes in the Middle Ages. The first floor has wide open windows and doors. This lower level was used for craft production and sale. The owner of the house-workshop or one of the guild leaders would live just above this workshop/store. These wealthier individuals had larger windows and more space. Each progressively higher level was inhabited by a slightly lower class member of the guild, with servants inhabiting the highest level. The top level has much smaller windows and is clearly less luxiorous. The architecture in this area is demonstrative of the guild system as well. The buildings are flat and of a similar material on every street. The streets are slightly narrow, but they meet in plazas where markets and sales were conducive. The lower floors often have large windows for shops. The corner houses particularly have a prime location, as two sides of the house face the street, allowing for better access to passing customers.
The famous church, Santa Maria del Mar, is also located in El Born. This church was built by the common workers in medieval Barcelona, including the guild members. Thus, it is affectionately known as “The People’s Cathedral.” The doors of the church have two small figures carrying stones. These symbolize the people of Barcelona who worked to construct the building. Santa Maria del Mar was completed during the Plague years, without outside help from the wealthy or the Spanish. It is a symbol of the power, faith, and dedication of the medieval working class. Inside, there are a few graves in the floor of the church. These were reserved for the more well-to-do, yet still display symbols of the different trades and guilds of which the deceased were members. This church is further associated with Catalan identity. The architectural style is the unique Catalan Gothic. Unlike other Gothic churches in Europe, the spires are not thin and needle-like. Santa Maria del Mar has octagonal towers in the Catalan style; the bell tower is connected to the church, not separated as is common to the Gothic style. As a uniquely Catalan building constructed solely by working Catalans, this church is linked to the regional pride.
Adjacent to the church of Santa Maria del Mar, there is a memorial plaza, devoted to the memory of those who died defending Barcelona in the War of Spanish Succession in 1714. El Fossà de les Moreros serves as a cultural reminder of the fallen defenders. The plaza contains a large metal structure, topped by an “eternal flame” to memorialize the defenders of Barcelona. After the war of Spanish Succession, Catalunya lost much of its autonomy and was forced to submit to the authority if Phillip V and the newly united Spanish crown. The period before 1714 was really Catalunya’s last era of freedom from Spain. This memorial is dedicated to those who died defending Barcelona, and by extension, the independence and pride of Catalunya. Today, some Catalans still visit the memorial on September 11, the National Day of Catalunya and the anniversary of the fall of Barcelona to Phillip V. The decrees of Nova Planta were subsequently passed by Phillip V, who abolished many ancient Catalan organizations and methods of self-governing. He later also banned the use of the Catalan language.
The Park of Cituadella is also located in El Born. This park was the former site of a citadel (hence the park’s name). This location is also connected with Phillip V, who built the citadel in the center of Barcelona as a further reminder of the power of the Bourbons and the Spanish crown over Barcelona and Catalunya. A symbol of oppression, the citadel was eventually dismantled, and the area used for the 1888 Universal Exhibition. This World’s Fair emphasized Catalan culture and celebrated the rebirth of Barcelona as a prosperous city. The area was transformed into a source of pride for Catalunya and now is one of the only “green” areas in Barcelona.
Another landmark in the area, El Mercat del Born, is an important marketplace in this neighborhood of Barcelona. This market is distinct because it is designed in the Catalan modernist architectural style of the nineteenth century. This style is clearly visible in the use of iron. Iron became a widely popular building material in Catalunya during the modernist period; this use of the metal was distinctive of the region. Modernist architectures employed iron because it was structural stable and a useful building material. However, wrought iron could also create beautiful designs and unique shapes and “looks.” Thus, iron’s popularity was based on its combined usefulness and asthetic value. The use of glass as a building foundation is another trait of this era’s modernism. The market remains today as a valuable resource for the citizens of El Born and a reminder of their innovative architectural developments in Catalunya.
The Consolat del Mar was the final stop in the visit to El Born. The medieval instituion served as a somewhat judicial body. Disputes between mariners, traders, and commercial workers could be settled here by judges. Thus Catalan commerical disputes could be settled without the involvement of the Spanish crown. Today, the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce operates the building.
This weekend, I visited the Catalan city of Girona. I was excited to find a license plate that read "CAT" under the symbol of the EU, as opposed to the typical "E" for Espana. I have been looking for a license plate like this ever since we discussed it in class! This plate demonstrates the feeling that Catalunya is its own nation, outside of Spain, and as such should be recognized by the EU.
This mailbox is located in the Eixample; I pass it every day on my walk to IES. I noticed this spray-painted image and right away recognized the four red bars of the Catalan flag. The choice of a yellow mailbox is particularly significant as a place for graffetti. The yellow provides the background color of the flag, and the organized “Correos” with the symbol of a crown represents the Kingdom of Spain. This spray-paint includes the indenpendentist star at the top, and the letters JERC, which stand for Joventuts d’Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya. Young Catalan socialists were responsible for this vandalism. However, another person editted this graffetti. The star and the JERC have been painted over in black. The four red bars remain. This represents the large portion of Catalans who are not aggressively pursuing independentist, socialist goals. Yet the still visible four bars symbolizes a shared sense of Catalan pride.
These fish are from La Boqueria. This huge market off of Las Ramblas has an enormous selection of fresh sea-food. This emphasis on a fish diet demonstrates Barcelona’s Medittereanen environment. This diet has ancient roots in Roman culture, as the ancients also consumed a lot of fish, particularly crearing the unique dish of garum. La Boqueria also highlights a difference between Catalunya and many regions in the States. Fresh food is crucial to the Catalans; many of the fish and sea-creatures were still moving as they sat on the ice! In the US, most people shop at grocery stores; any meat or fish bought there are long dead.
This corner of the Palau Musica de Catalunya is an example of both modernisme and the religious and traditional culture of Catalunya. The nost significant feature in this image is San Jordi at the very top of the sculpture. He holds a sword and is shown to be killing the dragon. This traditional story is linked to pride in Catalunya, and San Jordi is the patron saint of the region. He is also holding the Catalan flag in his other hand. This building was designed by the famous Catalan modernist Lluis Demenech i Montaner. San Jordi stands above several other images of traditional Catalan culture.
catalan cultural studies 