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What's Catalunya?

Catalunya

   Catalunya is a small region placed to the south of France and to the Nort-East of Spain. It is divided in four provinces (divided in 41 districts):

  • Barcelona
  • Tarragona
  • Lleida
  • Girona

Logo of the games designed by Josep Maria Trias    Barcelona is Catalunya's capital. In Barcelona took place the Olympic Games of 1992 in which participated ten thousand athletes from 172 countries. The mascot that represented the event was the dog Cobi (for the Olympic Games), as well as Petra (for the Paralympic Games); both created by Xavier Mariscal. The occasion, which started on July 25 and ended on August 9, left a memorable remembrance in each of us that were there.

Senyera   Catalunya's flag is the Senyera, which consists of four red bars originally vertical over a yellow background. It represents Ramon Berenguer's blood, who, deathly wounded, marked four red bars with his fingers on the golden war shield. Its origin, although it is not sure, dates from XIII century: one of the oldest of Europe.

   The date of the national feastday of Catalunya is on September 11th, that conmemorates the defeat of the catalan troops on 1714. The national Anthem of Catalunya is Els Segadors [The Harvesters], that was born on June 7th 1640, from the "Corpus de Sang" ["Blood's Corpus"], that was the beginning of the catalan revolution. The Anthem is the following:

Catalunya, triomfant,
Backà a ser rica i plena!
Endarrera aquesta gent
tan ufana i tan superba!

Bon cop de falç!
Bon cop de falç, defensors de la terra!
Bon cop de falç!

Ara és hora, segadors!
Ara és hora d'estar alerta!
Per quan vingui un altre juny
esmolem ben bé les eines!

[Tornada]

Que tremoli l'enemic
en veient la nostra ensenya:
com fem caure espigues d'or,
quan convé seguem cadenes!

[Tornada]

   A well-known traditional activity in Catalunya are the castles, or human towers. The different groups compete in order to look who makes the higher castles. Taking part on a castle means to have a great resistance and balance, since the weight carried -above all, by the base components- is huge.

Sardana    Catalunya's typical dance is the sardana. It is danced making a circle of people taked from the hands who follow the steps with the music's rhythm. Next you can hear some examples of sardanas and catalan traditional songs (lots of thanks to Quim Rutllant for his collaboration, that has made possible this subparagraph):

Sardanas
El Barco Rús Colˇlegues Elegia a Juli Garreta
Gotes de Tardor I Ara, Festa Major Madrigal en Forma de Sardana
Paborde Major Pastes i Garnatxa La Santa Espina
Somni Sant Martí Tenacitat
Traditional Songs
Calma de la mar El Ball de la Civada Sant Ferriol
L'Hereu Riera Muntanyes del Canigó El Noi de la Mare
La Presó Els Segadors Tres Tambors

   "Catalunya" is also my alias or pseudonym on chats, registrations and other activities through Internet. I was the first one to use it, but now lots of people have decided to "imitate" me. But my real name is... well, you sure know it already, or you don't? ];>

   This is my country. You can find more information HERE.



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