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| What Catalans love: human towers and a less exciting hokey cokey | What Catalans love: human towers and a less exciting hokey cokey |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| • Not for Catalans the blood and sweat of the bullring. Instead, they build human towers, known as castells. The main casteller groups (colles de castellers) are from southern Catalonia, in particular the towns of Vilafranca del Penedès and Valls, where the tradition originated in the 18th century. In 2010 Unesco declared the castells a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity. | • Not for Catalans the blood and sweat of the bullring. Instead, they build human towers, known as castells. The main casteller groups (colles de castellers) are from southern Catalonia, in particular the towns of Vilafranca del Penedès and Valls, where the tradition originated in the 18th century. In 2010 Unesco declared the castells a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity. |
| The base of the castell is formed by the pinya, rings of (mostly) men who link together to form both the foundation and a safety net, lest the castell collapses. The pinya may consist of several hundred people. The tower is then slowly assembled tier by tier, each level consisting of between one and five people. The tower is capped by the enxaneta, a small child usually not more than eight years old, who climbs to the top. | The base of the castell is formed by the pinya, rings of (mostly) men who link together to form both the foundation and a safety net, lest the castell collapses. The pinya may consist of several hundred people. The tower is then slowly assembled tier by tier, each level consisting of between one and five people. The tower is capped by the enxaneta, a small child usually not more than eight years old, who climbs to the top. |
| Castells are mounted in the town or village square and are attended by hundreds and sometimes thousands of spectators. For many Catalans the communal effort of the castells – which combine strength, balance, trust and a good deal of nerve – have come to symbolise the unity of the nation. | Castells are mounted in the town or village square and are attended by hundreds and sometimes thousands of spectators. For many Catalans the communal effort of the castells – which combine strength, balance, trust and a good deal of nerve – have come to symbolise the unity of the nation. |
| • Every small country needs its national dance and Catalonia is no exception. In the traditional Catalan dance, the sardana, the dancers hold hands and dance in a circle, clockwise then anti-clockwise. A little bit like the hokey cokey, only not as exciting. While it may have existed earlier under a different name, the first written reference to the sardana dates from 1552. It became fashionable in the Catalan court in the 17th century. | • Every small country needs its national dance and Catalonia is no exception. In the traditional Catalan dance, the sardana, the dancers hold hands and dance in a circle, clockwise then anti-clockwise. A little bit like the hokey cokey, only not as exciting. While it may have existed earlier under a different name, the first written reference to the sardana dates from 1552. It became fashionable in the Catalan court in the 17th century. |
| In its current form the dance is a product of the late 19th-century nationalist revival known as the renaixença (renaissance) and in particular two musicians Josep Ventura and Miquel Pardàs, who made the dance less formal and extended the instrumentation of the cobla, the band that accompanies the dancers. | In its current form the dance is a product of the late 19th-century nationalist revival known as the renaixença (renaissance) and in particular two musicians Josep Ventura and Miquel Pardàs, who made the dance less formal and extended the instrumentation of the cobla, the band that accompanies the dancers. |
| It was during the renaixença that the sardana was adopted as the national dance of Catalonia. Although the Federació Sardanista de Catalunya says that "Catalonia is one of the places in Europe where folk dancing is alive and well," the fact is that most of its exponents are of a certain age. Nevertheless, the federation says that 59 competitions and 2,800 sardana-related events have taken place this year. | It was during the renaixença that the sardana was adopted as the national dance of Catalonia. Although the Federació Sardanista de Catalunya says that "Catalonia is one of the places in Europe where folk dancing is alive and well," the fact is that most of its exponents are of a certain age. Nevertheless, the federation says that 59 competitions and 2,800 sardana-related events have taken place this year. |
| • The communal meal is a feature of Mediterranean society and in southern Catalonia this may take the form of a calçotada. The calçot, which was first grown around the town of Valls and is unique to Catalonia, could be described as a spring onion with aspirations to be a leek. As calcots are harvested in February and early March, traditionally calçotadas are held outdoors in early spring. | • The communal meal is a feature of Mediterranean society and in southern Catalonia this may take the form of a calçotada. The calçot, which was first grown around the town of Valls and is unique to Catalonia, could be described as a spring onion with aspirations to be a leek. As calcots are harvested in February and early March, traditionally calçotadas are held outdoors in early spring. |
| The calçots are trimmed, laid out in rows and cooked on a brazier or often on an old metal bedstead placed over wood fire. When the outer part starts to turn black, bunches of calçots are wrapped in newspaper and left to steam in their own heat. To eat them, you hold the calçot by the upper tip and pull away the outer layer. The calçot is then dipped in a sauce made from hazelnuts, roast tomatoes, garlic and olive oil and then eaten whole. It's a messy business and hands and face are quickly black with ash. Once everyone has eaten their fill – usually 10 to 20 calçots per person – the calçotada concludes with sausages and lamb chops grilled on the wood fire. | The calçots are trimmed, laid out in rows and cooked on a brazier or often on an old metal bedstead placed over wood fire. When the outer part starts to turn black, bunches of calçots are wrapped in newspaper and left to steam in their own heat. To eat them, you hold the calçot by the upper tip and pull away the outer layer. The calçot is then dipped in a sauce made from hazelnuts, roast tomatoes, garlic and olive oil and then eaten whole. It's a messy business and hands and face are quickly black with ash. Once everyone has eaten their fill – usually 10 to 20 calçots per person – the calçotada concludes with sausages and lamb chops grilled on the wood fire. |
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