Things Catalan, Barcelona

Another very 'Catalan' tradition are the 'Gegants' (Giants). Hese are big figures representing most of the time Medieval kings & queens, sometimes Christian, sometimes Muslim. A VT-friend from the Emirates was quit surprised when we saw the ones in the picture! Other times they represent famous people, or just people in traditional costumes. They are also present in almost all major Catalan town festivities.

Barcelona's main Giants are called Jaume and Violant (as they represent King Jaume the 1st and Queen Violant d’Hongria). Their names were changed during the Franco’s dictatorship to Isabel and Fernando (as the catholic kings, the traditional names seemed to be too Catalanist for the Regime)

But there are many others, as the famous Gegant del Pi (from the church of El Pi in the same name’s square). A traditional child’s tune (popular around Catalunya, not only in Barcelona) says:

El Gegant del Pi ara balla, ara balla
El Gegant del Pi ara balla pel camí
El Gegant de la Ciutat ara balla, ara balla
El Gegant de la Ciutat ara balla pel terrat!

(The Giant of the Pi now is dancing, now is dancing
The Giant of the Pi now is dancing on the path
The Giant of the City now is dancing, now is dancing
The Giant of the City now is dancing on the roof! )

Giants come out on local festivities to dance on the streets. You can imagine it's not easy to move this huge structure! Usually they are accompanied by capgrossos (bigheads) and sometimes mythological animals (dragons, horses, eagles...). Do not miss them if you re visiting a Catalan town during a festival time.

This is a XIXth century's Barcelona custom whith a quite unknown origin, that is celebrated in th Cathedral on Corpus day.

That day the fountain of the cloister is decorated with green branches and cherries. On the top of the spout there is an egg, that with the water force it moves it and it looks like it would be dancing.

It is said, if the egg brokes, it will be a bad luck day.

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While wandering around the Gothic district we came upon a colourful children's parade. The narrow streets were filled with music and Giant Characters and the many children who followed behind. The children and characters then assembled in the square where sweets were given out to everyone. The Parade and party was very atmospheric and it was a joy to see the delight on the faces of the children - even though I had no idea what the parade was about.

Barcelona and Girona belong to Catalunya. The locals speak catalan which is very close to spanish. Catalan in all its variants is spoken over an area with a population of 10 million people.
Catalunya has its own flag called Senyera. It shows four red bars alternating with five yellow ones, all of the same width.
Since 1980 september 11th is declared as the Catalan national holiday.

The main newspaper in Barcelona are La Vanguardia, El Pais and El Periodico in Spanish. They are also Catalan newspaper, such as Avui and the Catalan version of el Periodico. The newspaper costs around 1 Euro, but on Sundays and when there is a special supplement the price can rise to 2 Euro or more. You can find daily newspapers from around the world at most centrally located newspaper kiosks.

The word "castellers" means "people that do castles". The castellers are human towers of different kind and number of people. They reflect the local character -working together, tenacy and daring- There is a vast vocabulary about castles, (sometimes I thing I should do a master to understand all this world :-)) ) any kind of castle has a name depending on its number of "levels" and shape. Every level has its name too. For example the little boy/girl on the top is called "anxaneta".
Els castellers are typical of local festivities. This pic was taken during les Festes de la Mercè in Barcelona

The four bars on the 'senyera', the Catalan flag, are said to represent the four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona. The Senyera is a vexillological symbol that consists of four red stripes on a golden background. It historically represented the king of Crown of Aragon; today is the flag of the Spanish Autonomous Community of Catalonia.

The design derives from a legend of Guilfré el Pelós, first Count of Barcelona. It relates how he received a call for help from Charles the Bald, who was King of the West Franks and grandson of Charlemagne. Guilfré went to his aid and turned the tide of battle, but was mortally wounded. As he lay dying, Charles dipped his fingers in Guilfré's blood and dragged them accross his plain gold shield, giving him a grant of arms.

We saw the Catalan flag at numerous of places. The Catalonian people are extremely proud of their own (beautiful) province.

Catalunya is the state Barcelona is in. Despite the repression during the 36-year Franco regime of all local dialects and cultures, Catalán as a language made a come back on the dictator's timely death and the Catalán flags started flying again.