Monday, October 17, 2011
Some basic facts about Spain
KINGDOM OF SPAIN:
Anthem:
Motto:
Recognised regional languages
Government
King
Prime Minister
Upper House
Constitutional democracy
Area
Capital and main cities
Official language(s)
Population
Density
GDP
Currency
Time Zone-Format
Internet domain
Phone code
Nombre oficial:
Superficie:
Población:
Capital: Nacionalidades y etnias:
Idioma: Religión:
Régimen político:
Jefe de Estado:
Presidente:
PIB y PIB per cápita:
Crecimiento anual:
Inflación:
Principales recursos económicos:
Principales socios comerciales:
Miembro de
Hora local:
Electricidad:
Turismo:
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Symbols of the United States and Spain
Symbols of Spain
The flag of Spain symbolizes the nation, and is sign of its sovereignty, independence, unity, integrity, and promise of its perpetuity through the times. The national flag is regulated by article 4 of the Spanish Constitution:
The flag of Spain is formed by three horizontal stripes, red, yellow and red, being the yellow of double width than each of the red ones.
The coat of arms of Spain is regulated by Law 33-1981, of October 5:
The coat of arms of Spain is divided quaterly. In the first party, a gold castle on a gules or red field represents the kingdom of Castile. In the second party, a purple, rampant lion crowned of gold on a silver field represents the kingdom of Leon. In the third party, four red pales on a gold field represent the kingdom of Aragón. In the fourth party, a gold chain on a red field represents the kingdom of Navarre. At the tip of the shield, a pomegranate with two vert or green leaves on a silver field represents the kingdom of Granada. The shield is accompanied by two silver columns with gold bases and capitals, on waves of blue and silver, topped the one on the right by an imperial crown and the one on the left by a royal crown, both of gold. Surrounding those columns, there is a red ribbon with gold letters, reading "PLVS" on the right and "VLTRA" on the left. Embedded in the main shield there is a smaller one: three gold fleurs de lis on a blue field with red border represent the reining dynasty (Bourbon or Borbón). The shield is topped by a royal crown, which is a gold circle encased with precious stones, and made up of eight fleurons of acanthus leaves, visible five, interpolated of pearls. A diadem of pearls emerges from each fleuron, all converging in a globe of blue with a gold half-meridian, equator, and cross. The crown is lined in red.
Historians and musicologists agree that at the root of the Spanish national anthem is the Grenadier March (Marcha Granadera), although Father Otaño believes it originated much earlier, from the debatable hypothesis that song number 42 of Alfonso X's "Cantigas" ("Songs") contains a sentence of the anthem.
In 1761, Manuel Espinosa wrote the "Book of Ordinance of Military Music for the Spanish Infantry", in which the March appears as having unknown author.
King Carlos III declared it March of Honor on September 3, 1770, and it soon acquired status of national anthem, without written disposition.
In 1870, General Prim organized a national contest to create an official anthem for Spain, but the jury declared no winner and advised to continue using the Grenadier March as the national anthem.
A law of August 27, 1908 instructed military bands to play the so called Royal March, regulated by Maestro Bartolomé Pérez Casas, of the Royal Corp of Guards Halberdiers.
A law passed on July 17, 1942 declared the Grenadier March the national anthem of Spain, without including any score, thus keeping the version of Pérez Casas.
After the approval of the Spanish Constitution on December of 1978, 27 president Suarez established a task force integrated by members of the Section of Music of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando and representatives of the Ministries of Economy and Treasury, Education and Culture, Defense, and Public Administrations to write a new version of the anthem. After the favorable report of the Royal Academy, a new adaptation authored by Maestro D. Francisco Grau, director of the Royal Band, was approved.
The national anthem of Spain has no lyrics.
During most of its history the national anthem of Spain has had no lyrics. In June, 2007 the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) proposed a contest to select lyrics for the anthem. The selection committee chose the following lyrics by Paulino Cubero in January, 2008:
¡Viva España!
Long live Spain!
Cantemos todos juntos
Let's all sing together
con distinta voz
with different voices
y un solo corazón.
and a single heart.
¡Viva España!
Long live Spain!
Desde los verdes valles
From the green valleys
al inmenso mar,
To the endless sea,
un himno de hermandad.
an anthem of brotherhood.
Ama a la patria
Love the fatherland
pues sabe abrazar,
that embraces
bajo su cielo azul,
under its blue sky
pueblos en libertad.
free peoples.
Gloria a los hijos
Glory to the sons
que a la Historia dan
who gave History
justicia y grandeza
justice and greatness,
democracia y paz.
democracy and peace.
The COE had planned to collect the necessary signatures (more than 500,000) to propose the lyrics as the official anthem of Spain as a popular initiative. However, and due to the lukewarm reaction to the proposal, it decided to withdraw the lyrics.
Listen to the Spanish National Anthem in MP3 format.
A convention to draft a new constitution convened on the 22nd of August, 1978 with representatives from all the political parties. There were difficulties reaching consensus on issues such as education, abortion, death penalty, and socioeconomic matters, due to differences between the two main parties (centrists and socialists). However, an agreement was reached and cemented by the creation of a Constitutional Court responsible for the interpretation of the Constitution. The final text was approved by a public referendum on December 6th, 1978 with 88% of the votes. The most important achievement of the Spanish Constitution of 1978 is that it has resolved some of the historical problems that hung over the Spanish people for over a century.
Text of the Spanish Constitution of 1978.
Speaking of stereotypes
Came across this over the weekend, thought it was fitting. See you tomorrow in class
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Dia de la Hispanidad
Questionnaire:
Please, fill in these questions and then write your answers in a separate paper to hand in by the next session.
1-When´s the Fiesta Nacional observed and what does it conmemorate?
2-What aother National holidays are there in Spain (date/celebration)?
3- What other names has Oct 12th got?
4-What activities are held on Oct.12th?
5- El Pilar is the Feast Day of which Spanish city?
6- What differences do you recognise between Spain & USA regarding this celebration?
7- What are the main controversial points about Columbus' discovery?
8- Name the 3 ships which took part in the first expedition in 1492?
Fiesta Nacional de España- History
The national day of Spain. It is held annually on October 12 and is a national holiday. It commemorates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's first arrival in the Americas, a day also celebrated in other countries. The anniversary of Columbus' landing in the New World on October 12, 1492 is widely celebrated throughout the Americas, where it is known as Columbus Day in the United States and as Dia de la Raza in various Latin American countries. Celebration of the anniversary in Spain dates to 1935, when the first festival was held in Madrid. The day was known as Dia de la Hispanidad, emphasizing Spain's connection to the Hispanidad, the international Hispanic community. On November 27, 1981, a royal decree established Día de la Hispanidad as a national holiday.
However, on October 7, 1987 the name was changed to Fiesta Nacional, and October 12 became one of two national celebrations, along with Constitution Day on December 6.Spain's "national day" had moved around several times during the various regime changes of the 20th century; establishing it on the day of the international Columbus celebration was part of a compromise between conservatives, who wanted to emphasize the status of the monarchy and Spain's history, and Republicans, who wanted to commemorate Spain's burgeoning democracy with an official holiday. The change in name had the effect of removing all reference to Spain's historical colonialism, and even its ties to Latin America.
Since 2000, October 12 has also been Spain's Day of the Armed Forces, celebrated each year with a military parade in Madrid. To commemorate it, there is a parade led by the military (usually held in Madrid) presided by the Spanish King, who is the Head of State, since Spain is politically organized as a constitutional monarchy. The Prime Minister of Spain (Presidente del Gobierno) has also a special role in the ceremony, only second to that of the King. Then a wide array of authorities, from foreign diplomats deployed in Spain to members of the Autonomous governments, are invited to attend the parade performed by the Spanish Armed Forces, which typically feature a display by the Spanish Air Force's aerobatics team, the Patrulla Águila. Other than this, however, the holiday is not widely or enthusiastically celebrated in Spain; there are no other large-scale patriotic parades, marches, or other events, and the observation is generally overshadowed by the feast day of Our Lady of the Pillar.
Columbus Day in USA
Columbus Day, which is annually on the second Monday of October, remembers Christopher Columbus' arrival to the Americas on October 12, 1492. Officially, the people of the USA are invited to celebrate the anniversary of the discovery of their country with church services and other activities. In some towns and cities, special church services, parades and large events are held. Most celebrations are concentrated around the Italian-American community. In Hawaii Columbus Day is also known as Landing Day or Discoverer's Day. Not all parts of the United States celebrate Columbus Day. It is not a public holiday in California, Nevada and Hawaii. Moreover, Native Americans’ Day is celebrated in South Dakota, while Indigenous People’s Day is celebrated in Berkeley, California.
Columbus day is a public holiday in many parts of the United states, but is not observed or is not a holiday in some states. Government offices and schools are generally closed, but businesses may be open. The flag of the United States is displayed on Government buildings. Christopher Columbus is often portrayed as the first European to sail to the Americas. He is sometimes portrayed as the discoverer of the New World. However, this is controversial on many counts. There is evidence that the first Europeans to sail across the Atlantic were Viking explorers from Scandinavia. In addition, the land was already populated by indigenous peoples, who had 'discovered' the Americas thousands of years before.
Columbus Day originated as a celebration of Italian-American heritage. In 1937, Columbus Day become a holiday across the United States. Since 1971, it has been celebrated on the second Monday in October. The date on which Columbus arrived in the Americas is also celebrated as the Día de la Raza (Day of the Race) in Latin America and some Latino communities in the USA. In some countries and has been re-named in others. Columbus Day celebrations are controversial because the settlement of Europeans in the Americas led to the deaths of a very large proportion of the native people. It has been argued that this was a direct result of Columbus' actions. It is clear that the arrival of the European settlers led to the demise of a large proportion of the history and culture of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. It has also been argued that Columbus should not be honored for discovering the United States, as he only went as far as some islands in the Caribbean and never got as far as mainland America.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Spanish Stereotypes.
The Truth About Spanish Stereotypes
Many stereotypes about Spain have little to do with today’s reality. In 1950 Spain was a poor country, still trying to recover from its civil war, and many stereotypes arose at that time. Once Spain had the 9th highest gross domestic product (GDP) in the world and it did have one of the fastest growing economies in the European Union. Spain used to be a cheap country to visit, but no longer. Cost of living increases means that Madrid is the 26th most expensive city in the world now, and Barcelona No. 31. However with the fall in the housing market economy Spain's out look is rather dull.
A study ( unclear where this information has come from) shows that Americans and Southeast Asians are the people who believe more in these stereotypes. Stereotypes are used as mental shortcuts to classify people quickly. They are usually wrong, dangerous, and be the basis for prejudice. This essay will try to look at some of the common stereotypes. Spain is the European country after France that has the most tourism. When the Spanish government had tourist campaigns in other countries in the past, they showed the sunshine, the beaches, flamenco dancing, and bullfighting. This may have helped create some of the stereotypes about Spain. Today Spain needs a new image, to show how modern and progressive it is. They need to develop a national brand that is closer to reality. Let us look at some stereotypes.1. The Spanish are lazy and love to sleep the siesta.
In the European Union, the Spanish have the longest working hours and they work very hard. You do not get to have the (once) 9th highest GDP in the world by being lazy. Yes, the Spanish like to sleep the siesta, but only about 20% of them can do so, and those are the retired and the ones who live in small rural towns. The population of Spain is concentrated now in big and medium sized cities. Many people now live in the suburbs, quite far from where they work, and do not have time to go home for lunch, what with the traffic. So they cannot sleep the siesta. They probably sleep the siesta on weekends, when they can.
Health authorities say that it is healthy to sleep the siesta, so that the body can recover during the day. The siesta was much more of an occurance in the past, especially in the south of Spain, because of the heat. Now air conditioning is everywhere and this has changed many things.
The Spanish also have less vacation than their other European counterparts.
The Spanish also sleep less than other Europeans.
2. Spain is the land of sunshine and beaches.
This is true. Spain has more sunshine than the rest of Europe because it is at the southern tip of Europe. Yet its geography is very varied. There are the central plateau, the Mediterranean coast, the Atlantic coast, and the Pyrenees. In the north there is less sun than in the south and in the central plateau it can get very cold in winter. The sun is predominant along the Mediterranean and in the south, in Andalusia. Of course the north can be colder and has more rain throughout the year than the south.
The beaches in Spain have a very wide variety, from the Mediterranean to the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands to the waves along the North coast. So this stereotype is true. Some beaches are monitored on a daily basis and there are high standards of cleanliness required to have the European Blue Flag, the sign of quality.
3. Spain is the land of bullfights.
The bullfight is no longer considered a sport in Spain, but is described as a cultural tradition. Yes, there are bullfights in Spain, but their popularity is decreasing every year. Today only 25% of the population supports bullfighting and young people prefer going to football (futbol) games. The majority of people who go to bullfights are middle aged and older people. In some communities, bullfights are no longer allowed. This tradition is entering a crisis because fewer people attend the bullfights every year. There is now a growing and progressive majority that wants to get rid of the bullfight because it considers the bullfight as something cruel, something that is irrelevant to modern life. Time will tell!
There are powerful economic forces that want to keep the bullfights alive. There are rich groups that grow the bulls for the bullfights. A popular bullfighter in Spain has been reported to make more than 5,000,000 euros a year. The owners of the bullrings want to keep the bullfights. Many politicians want the bullfights, especially if their communities enjoy the bullfights. Time will tell!
4. Spain is the land of flamenco.It is said that the majority of the population do not know how to dance flamenco. Flamenco has its stronghold in Andalusia, especially in Seville. Flamenco is not an easy dance, and one has to go to dance school to learn it. Flamenco dancers are very dedicated people because of the difficulty of the dance, and it requires constant practice. Every region of Spain has its traditional dance, but definitely the flamenco is the most dramatic dance. The gypsies of Andalusia were and are the stars and experts of this dance. There are famous flamenco schools in Spain now that attract a large number of foreigners from Europe, the Americas, and the Orient.
5. All Spanish people have dark hair, dark eyes, and dark skin.
This stereotype is not true. Remember that the Vandals stayed in Spain for a short period, and the Visigoths stayed in Spain for centuries. These two tribes were Germanic tribes and they left their genes in Spain. Today there are many fair skinned people with light colored eyes and natural blond hair. It is said that the Celts, left Norht west Spain for Ireland, Wales and evertually Scotland.
The dark skin is not natural, and people who live in the South or along the Mediterranean coast may have a deep tan, but that is because they may spend a lot of time outdoors while the sun is shining. Also among all of the Spanish, a deep tan is a status symbol, meaning that one has the time and money to be vacationing on the beach.
6. Spain is the land of paella and sangria.
Yes, this is true. The Spanish love paella and in almost every part of Spain one can find some sort of paella in the restaurants. In many parts of Spain, when people go out to the countryside to partake of nature, instead of a barbecue, they will cook a paella. The paella has many different forms and the most famous one is the paella Valenciana, originally from Valencia. If one goes to Valencia, one can try the many different forms of paella. There is one that looks black, because it is made with little squids and their ink makes the paella look black.
The sangria is not so popular with the Spaniards, as it is with tourists. The Spanish prefer to drink good red wine from nationally famous DOs. Red wine is drank with everything in Spain. In other countries there are rules, such as that with fish one drinks white wine, but in Spain they prefer to drink red wine.
Wine making is one of the principal industries in many parts of Spain, such as in La Rioja. Spanish wines have found favor in many foreign countries because they have very good quality at very reasonable prices. Spanish wines have won prizes over famous wines from other European countries. The Spanish winemakers are modernizing their wine making facilities and planting better varieties of wine. In the south of Spain, such as in Jerez, they produce sherry ( a fortifide wine).
7. Spain is the land of fiestas.
Yes, this is true. Every city, town and village has a fiesta once a year. Many times it is to honor their patron saint. People in Spain like to have fun and the fiesta is the time to have it. This is the reason that many foreigners come to visit Spain, to see and enjoy the fiesta. Most of the fiestas are very colorful events, when the Spanish put on the costumes of their region and cook the food their region is famous for.
8. The Spanish love their ham.
This is true. The most appreciated ham among the Spanish is the “pata negra” from the province of Huelva. The pigs from this region have black hooves, and that is the meaning of “pata negra”. The pigs eat acorns in oak forests. The acorns have very high contents of antioxidants, so the ham from these pigs are quite lean and healthy. Scientific studies have shown that eating this type of ham will lower one’s cholesterol. The ham has a slightly nutty taste and is considered a gourmet item in Spain.
Many other people in the world have visited Spain and tried the ham and now have a taste for it. Spain is about to start exporting this ham to all parts of the world. One Spanish company has won approval to sell its ham to the U.S., a very big potential market. Spain is also trying to sell ham to China, a country that loves pork products.
9. The Spanish men are latin lovers.
The majority of Spanish men do not meet the stereotype of the latin lover. However the latin lover is alive and well in Spain. One just has to look at national TV, which loves to report on the exploits of many famous playboys. These playboys are tall, not necessarily dark, but all of them are very handsome and very macho. They are armed with huge amounts of charm, are very entertaining, and are very experienced in the arts of seduction. Their victims are young beautiful women, many who have money. So these men are like bees, pollinating as many flowers as possible. However the Don Juan types are not good husband material, because once they conquer someone, they lose interest and look for another. Many foreign women succumb to these men, to their later anguish and regret.
Because of the mixture of races, one can say that the genes Spanish have are very strong and vibrant, and they produce very beautiful women and handsome men. One has to just sit at a sidewalk café and observe the people passing by to see some physically very beautiful people passing by. This is one of the joys of visiting Spain!
10. Conclusions
There is much more to Spain than what the stereotypes paint. Spain is a modern, industrialized country, with a high economic growth rate. The Spanish are determined to improve their standards of living. They also want to project a new image to the rest of the world because some of the stereotypes about them are negative and are not true. They will keep the positive stereotypes.
Some ideas to change your mind:
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