Spain’s Intangible Soul
By Maria Lisella
You have finally arrived in Seville in the heart of Andalusia—a place informed by the distinct trademarks of Flamenco and Jerez (sherry), hills rich with olive trees that produce Spain’s golden gift to the world, Moorish alleyways, captivating architecture and unforgettable bullfights. Which of these would show up on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List?
If you guessed Flamenco you would be right, but naming Jerez or olive oil would also hit on yet another intangible, the Mediterranean Diet, which is also officially attributed to Spain even though it is shared with other countries like Italy, Greece and France. Not long ago, UNESCO developed criteria for identifying and safeguarding cultural practices and expressions that form an essential part of that country’s heritage and began inscribing them.
Imagine you are traveling through Andalusia, Murcia or Extremadura; the regions where Flamenco has its roots. There is the Flamenco Museum in Seville that artfully displays Flamenco’s stars, history and significance, but for the real experience you may look a bit further outside the city. At a local social club with a dusty wooden floor, wrought iron balconies and lots of raucous laughter, a young flamenco dancer whips across the floor with the fury of a dozen gypsies. You are so close to the foot-stomping and the castanets that beads of sweat land on your cheek and you are suddenly a participant and not just a spectator. The grief, tragedy, joy and fear expressed in the Cante’s voice are shared and felt by everyone in the room.
It is just such experiences that UNESCO is striving to preserve through its Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Some of these, due to rapid globalization, are in urgent need of safeguarding. Back in 2008, UNESCO incorporated 90 elements, some of which were already proclaimed “Masterpieces.” Seventy six elements were added in 2009 and just a few months ago, 47 more elements were added to the roster.
In northern Spain, Castells or human towers—built by members of amateur acrobat troupes from local towns and cities—stand on each others’ shoulders in as many as 10 stages, with heavier-built men on the bottom and children at the very top. Participation is usually something that is passed down among families from one generation to another.
This year the chant of the Sybil on the island of Majorca has also been identified as a foundation of common identity and pride for the local communities. Safeguarding measures help to educate travelers as well as people outside the community on the importance of transmitting this art, which is performed by common people, not celebrities. The chant of the Sybil is performed on Christmas Eve in churches throughout Majorca marking the annual Christmas Vigil, and is sung by a boy or girl accompanied by two or more altar boys or girls. During the chant they walk through the church towards the chancel, the singer carrying a sword in his or her hands, held upright in front of the face, while the altar boys or girls carry candles. The chants are performed all over the island of Majorca with versions that vary very little from their Gregorian roots: all sung a cappella with organ music between the verses.
On Gomera, an island in the Canaries, the whistled language known as Silbo Gomero replicates the islanders’ habitual language (Castilian Spanish) with whistling. Passed down over centuries from master to pupil, it is the only whistled language in the world that is fully developed and practiced by a large community—in this case, more than 22,000 inhabitants. To prevent it from disappearing like the other whistled languages of the Canary Islands, it has been taught in schools since 1999.
Falconry is an art form most commonly associated with Arab countries, but it also has a place in Spain, where it is mainly found along migration flyways and corridors and practiced by men and women of all ages. Falconers develop a spiritual bond with their birds, and a commitment to breed, train, handle and fly the falcons. In Arab countries, families take their children to the desert to train them to handle the birds and build a trusting relationship with them, a tradition that is passed down from one generation to another.
Countries, not unlike people, bear their own characteristics that distinguish them from even their closest neighbors; trademarks that tell their story. Those trademarks may appear in art, food, wine, in lifestyles that could grow thin and bare were it not for a nod to the vicissitudes of modern life and the occasional visit by a conscious traveler that realizes travel is not about expectations, souvenirs or winning stakes at a casino table but is made of human exchange and empathy.
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The Road to Santiago is Paved with Promises and Indulgences
By Maria Lisella
Nothing quite prepares you for the first time you set foot in Santiago de Compostela, the 1,000-year old shrine of St. James and capital of the northwestern region of Galicia, which is known for its lush green mountains, misty forests and Cantabrian coastline that rises to steep cliffs.
The roads—and there are many ways to arrive to this city—are flanked by columns of pilgrims, some dressed in modern-day clothing and others in what you would imagine self-sacrificing pilgrims might wear during the time of Jesus Christ. Many carry staffs with crooks on top and all wear an image or an actual scalloped shell, the symbol of St. James. You would not be alone if you half-expect to see Chaucer’s Canterbury Tale characters appear over the next ridge. When the feast day of St. James falls on a Sunday, as it does this year on July 25th, the Catholic Church declares a Holy Year in Santiago de Compostela, so tourism officials in Galicia have prepared a year-long celebration for the 10 million visitors expected during Xacobeo 2010 (pronounced ya-ko-bay-o).
The Way to St. James / Camino de Santiago
Some tour operators view the event as a chance to grow the religious tourism market, but the Galician Government has identified 10 pathways to coincide with Xacobeo 2010 to celebrate the Way of Saint James in vastly secular ways that reflect its spirit, values and as a tribute to its central figure, The Pilgrim. “The Way,” as the road to Santiago is often referred to, has always been viewed as a tangible means for cultures and people to come together in a peaceful manner for the past 1,200 years.
Although you may have seen photos and online images of the cathedral and the square, you do not have to be a believer to be awed by the immensity of the 11th century Cathedral as you approach the city. It dominates the Praza do Obradoiro, considered one of the world’s great squares and surrounded by many of Santiago’s historic buildings such as the Antiguo Hospital Real, which is now a sumptuous parador known as Reyes de los Catolicos (which some say is the world’s oldest hotel), the Palacio de Rajoy, the College of San Jerónimo and the Gelmírez Palace. Stepping inside the cathedral only heightens the experience.
St. James’ himself didn’t have an easy time getting here. His remains traveled for several hundred years before purportedly finding a resting place—there is still some speculation about this. Having brought Christianity to the local Celtic pagans who inhabited Galicia at the time, he was beheaded in Jerusalem around 45 AD; some say his remains were returned by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain. His tomb was found and abandoned during the Roman persecution of Christians and rediscovered by Alfonso II, the King of Galicia and Asturias.
Alfonso ordered a chapel be built on the site, making the King the first pilgrim to visit the shrine. Following that, the Caliph of Cordóba destroyed the Church and the Church’s gates and bells were brought to Andalusia for the Aljama Mosque. Once King Ferdinand got into the fray, the very same items were moved to Toledo. The present Cathedral in Santiago was built according to the same plan as the monastic brick church of Saint Sernin in Toulouse, which some consider to be the greatest Romanesque edifice in France. As centuries passed, the actual destination of St. James’ mortal remains is somewhat muddled.
Since the 9th century, the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela,”Galicia’s capital has been the destination for pilgrims following ‘The Way of Saint James” or “El Camino de Santiago.” They have traveled on foot, horseback and more recently, on bicycles, lodging in albergues de peregrinos (accommodations offered free of charge to pilgrims) until they reached the stately Cathedral of St. James, said to hold the remains of the apostle.
Declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1985, Santiago retains its medieval air with golden granite mansions, impressive public buildings and many beautiful churches. Stone streets are porticoed to protect against passing showers.
Pilgrims usually follow one of nine geographic routes to Santiago, with the most famous crossing the Pyrenees from France. Originating in northern France and meandering south through other pilgrimage sites, the routes joined, crossed the Pyrenees Mountains, and then headed to northwestern Spain. The Benedictines built monasteries and hostels to host the pilgrims traveling the routes to Santiago, creating what is perhaps, the first major European tourist industry.
Events & Activities Not To Be Missed
For the modern-day organizers, Xacobeo is a grand opportunity to reinvigorate discussions about the larger questions: universal peace through tolerance, dialogue, and cultural exchange through secular pilgrims. The Council of Europe has named Xacobeo the First European Cultural Route. As part of the 2010 Jubilee Year celebrations, through December visitors to Galicia will be treated to hundreds of music concerts and opera performances, art and photography exhibitions, classical and modern dance, theater, animation and film, sports competitions, conferences and symposia.
The programs are based around 10 ways that lead to Santiago: Spiritual Pathway, Contemplative Pathway, Historical Pathway, Contemporary Pathway, Theatrical Pathways, Audiovisual Pathway – Film and Animation, Sports Pathway, Gastronomic Pathways, Children’s Pathway, Musical Pathway (Xacobeo Classics, Roots, Importa, Live, Underground, Festivals and large concerts).
Hundreds of concerts are planned throughout the calendar to take place in various Galician cities along the proverbial roads to Santiago. Among them, folk singer Joan Baez will perform in Galicia’s largest city, Vigo, on March 5th; “Three One-Act Plays” by Woody Allen ran in February in Pontevedra; Mayumaná, the multicultural dance troupe, will appear in mid-March. An international electronic music event will take place, as well as performances by pianist Lang Lang, and many Galician stars. Three photographic exhibitions include one that will chronicle a pilgrimage of the Way of Saint James taken by German artist, Candida Höffer.
Pope Benedict XVI has been invited to Galicia; religious events focusing on the spiritual experience of the Camino will be staged; the celebration`s spirit of solidarity will be reflected in “For a World Free of Malaria” featuring sports exhibitions by star athletes such as tennis champion Rafael Nadal and soccer goalie Iker Casillas.
First International Travel Literature Conference; Auria Historical Novel Week; symposia with international leaders and great thinkers analyzing politics and society; congresses, seminars and workshops.
Photography exhibitions created for Xacobeo 2010: Candida Höffer: Libraries and Archives of the Camino de Santiago; Cristina García Rodero’s Galicia and the Sea, and Pierre Gonnord’s Dialogue of Landscapes and Souls.
Theatrical performances like: Cirque du Soleil’s Saltimbanco; Merce Cunningham Dance Company’s “Nearly 90,” and Mayumaná’s “Momentum.”
Sports: Champion long-distance swimmer David Meca will cross the Camino as he swims the Ría de Arousa, and a series of women’s races will benefit breast cancer research and charities.
Gastronomy: The region hosts some 300 food festivals annually showcasing its bounty from the sea such as oysters, octopus, sea urchins, eel, tuna, shellfish, and festivals featuring trout, goat, chestnuts, mushrooms, pancakes, empanadas, faba beans, androlla sausage, cheese and Galicia’s prestigious wines. As the scallop shell is a symbol of pilgrims to Santiago, those harvested near the city are a rare treat and well-matched with the local albariños, the distinctive wines of Ribeira Sacra, a district of cliff-clinging vineyards named for its many monasteries and churches.
Music: The Xacobeo Festival will feature performances by Inma Shara, pianist Lang Lang, mezzo soprano Cecilia Bartoli, violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter, conductors Zubin Mehta and Vasily Petrenko and composer Alberto Zedda. The Via Stallae Festival will feature 100 concerts alone. Xacobeo Pop will present Sonar Festival, an international electronic music event. The MTV Festival will showcase Spanish and international music stars. The 40 Principales Festival will travel through the region and Mark Knopfler will present his “Get Lucky” album. In Xacobeo Importa, the U.S. will be represented by the folk band Vetiver and the Seattle grunge group Mudhoney. And in Xacobeo Roots – Galician music will take center stage with home-grown talent like: Berrogüeto, Luar Na Lubre, Susana Seivane, Cristina Pato, Bonovo, Fuxan Os Ventos and Leilía.
A festive time to visit is during the Fiestas for the Apostle, July 19-25 that culminates in a fireworks display, Fuegos del Apóstol in front of the Cathedral in the Plaza del Obradoiro on July 24.
In preparation for a visit, those living in the Metropolitan area in the U.S. can attend conferences at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York that will address various facets of the city and the experience of following “The Way.”
Scholars neither agree about the origin of the city’s name nor do they seem to know exactly how the delicious almond cake named in honor of St. James and available all over the city found its way here. Sold at every corner, the golden cakes wear the distinct outline of the cross with powdered sugar. Legend has it that during a jubilee year such as this, a journey to Santiago—by foot, plane, car or train—promises to absolve pilgrims, even the most secular variety, of all their sins. For more information on the Jubilee Year, visit www.xacobeo.es
Getting There
From the U.S., Iberia, which is a member of oneworld and codeshares with American Airlines, operates frequent flights to Santiago de Compostela through Madrid. Santiago is also accessible via European hubs with Ryanair and Air Europa
For information, call the Tourist Office of Spain in New York 212-265-8822; Miami 305-358-1992; Chicago 312-642-1992 or Los Angeles 323-658-7195; or visit www.spain.info