Traditions of Catalonia

Catalonia's festivals and traditions unify Catalan society and help to give it its particular character. Amongst the most striking of these festive events are the "correfocs", in which "devils" play with fire and with the people. These devils are not the incarnation of evil; they are sprightly and festive, dancing to the sound of drums and the traditional gralla, while they set off their fireworks.

Another tradition occurs during the spring festival day of "Sant Jordi" (St George's Day, 23 April, also known as Book Day, coinciding with the anniversaries of the deaths of William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes and Josep Pla). Men give roses to women, and women give a book to men as a present. The streets are full of people, book and flower stands.

Perhaps the most spectacular of the Catalan festivals are those of the "colles castelleres", groups of enthusiasts who form impressive human towers (up to ten people high). This is an old tradition of the Tarragona region, which has now spread to many parts of Catalonia, and has become a real spectacle, or sport, that attracts thousands of people. Amongst other important festivities are the carnivals over all the region,especially in Sitges, Solsona, Tarragona and Vilanova i la Geltrú, and the Patum in Berga.

Then, there is the very special music of the cobles, the wind bands that play "sardanes". The sardana is a circular, open dance, that originated in the Empordà region (north of the country by the Mediterranean sea) and the Pyrenees (Catalan "Pirineus"), and is now danced in many squares and streets.

As in other countries, there is a Christmas tradition similar to that of Santa Claus . In Catalonia it is enacted in the very popular figure of the Tió de Nadal.

The Catalan "Diada" or National Day of Catalonia is on September 11, after the defeat and surrender of Barcelona to the French-Castilian army of Philip V of Spain and his supporters during the War of Spanish Succession. Similarly November 7 is also remembered in Northern Catalonia after the Treaty of the Pyrenees.

The anthem of Catalonia is Els Segadors (The Reapers).Popular folk songs include "El Rossinyol", "La Balanguera" and "El Cant dels Ocells", which became something of an unofficial national anthem under the years of Franco's oppression. Such songs became popular all over the world with the success of the Orfeó Català choir around the beginning of the 20th century. Another song, created by the present singer Lluís Llach, "L'Estaca", also gained this national feeling.

In Catalonia, sport often has a strong national and political connotation. The Barça football team and the USAP Perpignan rugby team are often considered, especially by some Catalan nationalists, to act as unofficial national teams of Catalonia.