The Andalucian-ness of Andalucians - Scribbler in Seville

Feliz Dia de Andalucia!

Andalucians have a sense of local loyalty like noone I’ve ever encountered. They are fiercely proud of their Andalucian-ness, with famous cultural markers such as Moorish architecture, flamenco, bullfighting and Lorca inspiring the kind of adoration that borders on obsession.

This sense of regional identity is instilled from an early age. Over the years, my children have come home from nursery or school at around this time of year, displaying a range of appropriately-coloured adornments symbolising the bandera blanco y verde: masks, flags painted on their faces, and flags in their hands.

This year, in the run up to today’s Dia de Andalucia celebrations, my son’s school focused on Blas Infante, the politician and writer who is known as the “Padre de la Patria Andaluz” (Father of the Andalucia Fatherland). It was Blas Infante who drew up a charter for Andalucia in 1918, also designing the Andalucia flag, based on historical symbols: Hercules, lions and the Pillars of Hercules.

According to legend, the Greek god founded Seville – hence the Alameda de Hercules. Infante also wrote the lyrics to the Andalucia himno (anthem). (Dia de Andalucia itself commemorates a later, but no less significant, event: the referendum for regional autonomy which took place on 28 February 1980.)

My son did a project on the story of Hercules and the two lions featured in the flag, and how the flag got its colours – something to do with one of the lions loving (green) olive trees and vines, and the other loving the frothy (white) waves of the sea. The lyrics of the himno talk of white for peace, and green for hope:

La bandera blanca y verde/Vuelve, tras siglos de guerra/A decir paz y esperanza,/Bajo el sol de nuestra tierra. (The green and white flag/Returns, after centuries of war/To tell of peace and hope/Under the sun of our land.)

His class also visited the great man’s house in Coria del Rio, now preserved as the snappily-titled Museo de la Autonomia de Andalucia. They were given a complicated make-it-yourself version – lots of working out which bit goes with which bit – IKEA in miniature. One for a rainy day.

All this was part of a build-up to the Main Event: their school play. This was called La Mansion Mas Bella, and it was about the eight provinces and all the elements that make up Andalucia.

La Mansion Mas Bella, with its eight provinces.

We had the Sevillanos, Cordobeses, Granadinos et al…

(From left): Cadiz (Carnaval), Almeria (Wild West), Granada (Sultans), Huelva (El Rocio), Malaga, Cordoba (horse-riders), Sevilla (Feria). Jaen (olive farmer?) is just out of shot.

We had the animals

Horses, flamingo, pig (jamon), deer, lynx.

We had the writers

Lorca, Rafael Alberti, and Juan Ramon Jimenez with Platero the donkey.

We had the painters

Daniel Velazquez, Julio Romero de Torres, and Picasso (yes, blonde).

We had the flamenco artists

Paco de Lucia

La Lola Flores (with Camaron de la Isla on the left, and Paco de Lucia on the right).

We had a torero and a toro

Ole!

I am knocked out with admiration for the teachers who put this spectacle on, from the casting, to the rehearsals, teaching them their lines, and supervising them on the day – 50 children coming on in groups with all their props.

My children have a very strong feeling for Andalucia, as Andalucians. As an outsider, I don’t share this sense of belonging. I’m from Essex – we do have a flag, but an anthem? A school play? As I approach my ninth year here in Andalucia, though, I am beginning to understand its value and power.

24 thoughts on “The Andalucian-ness of Andalucians”

elberchulero February 28, 2012 at 2:12 pm

Reblogged this on The Hotel Los Bérchules Blog and commented:
A great piece from our friend Fiona in Sevilla on the importance of being (or feeling) Andalucian….

Lucy February 28, 2012 at 2:45 pm

Great blog post. It’s one of the things I love about Andalucia (although it infuriates me at times too)..this idea that nowhere in the world can compare. It’s very touching but frustrates me because they never seem to take the attitude that it could be so much more too, there are things that could be improved…all that pride and then they let their dogs crap all over the street? Where’s the civic pride there? But, yes I like that they have such a sense of identity.

nancy todd February 28, 2012 at 4:08 pm

Fiona, loved seeing your pics. It is so rarely that we see pics of little kids in Spain. A great snippet of life here!

Fiona Flores Watson February 28, 2012 at 4:24 pm

Thanks, Nancy. Some of them were amazing, so much confidence – they really knew how to work the (adoring) crowd!

Mad Dog February 28, 2012 at 5:13 pm

“…something to do with one of the lions loving (green) olive trees and vines, and the other loving the frothy (white) waves of the sea” – smart lions and nice post 😉

Frank Burns February 29, 2012 at 8:32 am

Thank you for sharing those fascinating thoughts. Having children, especially when they are of ‘mixed’ parentage, provides you with a special entrée into local life. When we lived in Teruel, our 2 yr old daughter did the same for us……….and we learned all the language associated with babies (orinal, pañales, tirar la bomba, chupar el dedo…………….)!! Stuff that you never learn in the classroom.

azahar February 29, 2012 at 3:22 pm

I think this is wonderful. How many of our national artists and writers did we know about at that age? Great stuff, and nice pics too!

Fiona Flores Watson March 1, 2012 at 9:04 am

Thanks. Not even national writers and artists, but, regional – not sure I can name any artists or writers from Essex!! (Well, one, the legendary travel writer Norman Lewis.)

El Boquerón Viajero February 29, 2012 at 5:19 pm

Love the enthusiasm, esp as my entire “familia política” is from Andalucia. ¡Qué arte tienen los peques! 😉

Fiona Flores Watson March 1, 2012 at 9:05 am

Qué arte indeed (although some more than others!!)

Mo March 1, 2012 at 8:56 am

This is stunning, a great post. I love the wee Lorca, Alberti and JRJ with Platero!

Fiona Flores Watson March 1, 2012 at 9:06 am

Thanks, Mo. JRJ got a BIG round of applause and lots of laughs!!

Mayte March 1, 2012 at 9:59 pm

Me ha encantado leerlo, y me ha gustado trabajar con Zac en La mansión más bella. He descubierto su corazoncito andaluz. Gracias Fiona, por dejarme conocer a Zac.

Fiona Flores Watson March 1, 2012 at 10:28 pm

Gracias, Mayte, por tu comentario tan bonito, que me ha hecho llorar! Tu eres una maravilla para nosotros, tanto los padres como los niñ@s.

lola March 2, 2012 at 10:20 am

Hola Fiona, soy Lola, la mamá de Marina. Me ha encantado tu trabajo y por supuesto el de nuestros hijos. Es un privilegio contar con una anglo-andalusí tan simpática y tan entusiasta con manera de ver la vida y de vivirla. Thanks……………..

Fiona Flores Watson March 2, 2012 at 9:08 pm

Gracias a ti Lola, por tus palabras tan generosas. Me encanta que me llamas una anglo-andalusí – que chuleria!! La verdad es que es un privilegio para mi vivir aqui.

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elberchulero February 28, 2012 at 2:12 pm

Reblogged this on The Hotel Los Bérchules Blog and commented:
A great piece from our friend Fiona in Sevilla on the importance of being (or feeling) Andalucian….
Lucy February 28, 2012 at 2:45 pm

Great blog post. It’s one of the things I love about Andalucia (although it infuriates me at times too)..this idea that nowhere in the world can compare. It’s very touching but frustrates me because they never seem to take the attitude that it could be so much more too, there are things that could be improved…all that pride and then they let their dogs crap all over the street? Where’s the civic pride there? But, yes I like that they have such a sense of identity.
nancy todd February 28, 2012 at 4:08 pm

Fiona, loved seeing your pics. It is so rarely that we see pics of little kids in Spain. A great snippet of life here!
1. Fiona Flores Watson February 28, 2012 at 4:24 pm
  
  Thanks, Nancy. Some of them were amazing, so much confidence – they really knew how to work the (adoring) crowd!
Mad Dog February 28, 2012 at 5:13 pm

“…something to do with one of the lions loving (green) olive trees and vines, and the other loving the frothy (white) waves of the sea” – smart lions and nice post 😉
Frank Burns February 29, 2012 at 8:32 am

Thank you for sharing those fascinating thoughts. Having children, especially when they are of ‘mixed’ parentage, provides you with a special entrée into local life. When we lived in Teruel, our 2 yr old daughter did the same for us……….and we learned all the language associated with babies (orinal, pañales, tirar la bomba, chupar el dedo…………….)!! Stuff that you never learn in the classroom.
azahar February 29, 2012 at 3:22 pm

I think this is wonderful. How many of our national artists and writers did we know about at that age? Great stuff, and nice pics too!
1. Fiona Flores Watson March 1, 2012 at 9:04 am
  
  Thanks. Not even national writers and artists, but, regional – not sure I can name any artists or writers from Essex!! (Well, one, the legendary travel writer Norman Lewis.)
El Boquerón Viajero February 29, 2012 at 5:19 pm

Love the enthusiasm, esp as my entire “familia política” is from Andalucia. ¡Qué arte tienen los peques! 😉
1. Fiona Flores Watson March 1, 2012 at 9:05 am
  
  Qué arte indeed (although some more than others!!)
Mo March 1, 2012 at 8:56 am

This is stunning, a great post. I love the wee Lorca, Alberti and JRJ with Platero!
1. Fiona Flores Watson March 1, 2012 at 9:06 am
  
  Thanks, Mo. JRJ got a BIG round of applause and lots of laughs!!
Mayte March 1, 2012 at 9:59 pm

Me ha encantado leerlo, y me ha gustado trabajar con Zac en La mansión más bella. He descubierto su corazoncito andaluz. Gracias Fiona, por dejarme conocer a Zac.
1. Fiona Flores Watson March 1, 2012 at 10:28 pm
  
  Gracias, Mayte, por tu comentario tan bonito, que me ha hecho llorar! Tu eres una maravilla para nosotros, tanto los padres como los niñ@s.
lola March 2, 2012 at 10:20 am

Hola Fiona, soy Lola, la mamá de Marina. Me ha encantado tu trabajo y por supuesto el de nuestros hijos. Es un privilegio contar con una anglo-andalusí tan simpática y tan entusiasta con manera de ver la vida y de vivirla. Thanks……………..
1. Fiona Flores Watson March 2, 2012 at 9:08 pm
  
  Gracias a ti Lola, por tus palabras tan generosas. Me encanta que me llamas una anglo-andalusí – que chuleria!! La verdad es que es un privilegio para mi vivir aqui.
Pingback: Ups and downs « Scribbler in Seville
Pingback: Our Jubilee in (occasionally) sunny Suffolk « Scribbler in Seville
Pingback: The past recreated: seeing Seville’s history through new eyes | Scribbler in Seville
Pingback: Grab yourself a piece of the action at Los Reyes Magos | Scribbler in Seville
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: Weather | Scribbler in Seville
Pingback: The Andalucia Show: from Almeria to Seville | Scribbler in Seville
Pingback: Shortlisted (again, whoop!), and inside a Spanish school | Scribbler in Seville
Pingback: Game of Thrones Season 5: Osuna (The Fighting Pit of Meereen) | Scribbler in Seville