Patrimony

Patrimony can be defined as anything derived from one's father or ancestors. Where we live in southern France, the area's natives revel in its Catalan patrimony. 

We aren't that far from Spain where the Catalans are pushing for succession from Spain, but the French Catalans seem content to continue within the French framework. They have not gone through a governmental attempt to wipe out their culture as happened under Franco. In fact many of the refugees from Franco are ow French citizens having escaped and ending up as refugees in the region in 1939.

If we say good day in Catalan to our neighbor, she beams. Many of our neighbors are Catalan speaking  The street signs are in French and Catalan. Other languages abound because this is also a major tourist and retirement area for people from all European countries.

Choirs and dancers wear native costumes and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8cQRCdPBRU at the squeal of the melody that marks the Sardana native dance. Don't be fooled by the simple steps. It is far to easy to point a toe when one should be raising one's arms.

 

Sometimes there are dance festivals but often people will gather for the dance on holiday in ordinary clothes.

We have tiles under our mailbox showing the costumes.

 

The first Catalan flag was said to be on the tomb of Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona. He allegedly died in 1082. Different legends say either he or his son stuck their fingers into his wound and drew them down his yellow shield, creating “The Four Fingers of Blood,” that appear as four red stripes now part of the flag.

 

The stripes have taken on a more artistic form in the past few years. My husband photographed one rendering, cut a stencil and added it to our entrance.

We fly both a Swiss (waiting for a replacement at the moment and a Catalan flag). We are not Catalan, but we honor the traditions of where we live without sacrificing our own heritages.

 

In Switzerland we will celebrate Escalade (honoring the date Geneva beat back the French in 1602), bringing the cows down for pasture, August 1st, the alleged beginning of the country in 1291 giving claim to Switzerland beig the world's second oldest democracy (Iceland is ahead by about 500 years give or take).

 

We have what we have because of the past. Just as childhood events mark our formation as adults, our national histories shape our countries today. To ignore them is to limit ourselves.