We all enjoy colour music and dance... particularly when it is a national celebration. Today we saw half-million Barcelona citizens celebrating the loss of their nationhood that occurred exactly 300 years ago... to the day.
Just like Australia, Barcelona prefers to celebrate defeats rather than victories... and like our Anzac experience the loss was not their fault. At Anzac, we had to contend with military leaders with no military skill... for Barcelona and Catalonia, it was much worse... they had to contend with an outbreak of 'peace' within Europe. How's this for bad luck? In early 1713, Barcelona had held at bay the Franco - Spanish invading army for months... true, the population was dying of starvation... they were completely isolated... but they hadn't given in. Then in a matter of 3 months, France concluded 3 other wars it had going. Britain and the Dutch Republic reached a peace agreement to end the war with France on 11 April 1713, Treaty of Utrecht... Austria reached a peace agreement to end the war with France on 7 March 1714, Treaty of Rastatt... The Holy Roman Empire reached a peace agreement to end the war with France on 7 September 1714, Treaty of Baden. Suddenly, France had 20,000 troops at a loose end... with nothing better going, France sent them to Barcelona to end the siege. Barcelona put up a tremendous effort... suffered terribly... but in the end couldn't hold on. So, on that basis, Barcelona now holds an annual party... dance and sing... and talk about how one day they will rise again to regain their freedom... "we will run with the buffalo or die." The police force watch this posturing each year and don't know what to make of it... nothing has happened for 300 years... but this year could be for real. All police were on overtime today... in full riot gear... heavy duty vehicles on the street. But today the 'nut cases' stayed at home... party people filled the streets... singing, cheering, dressing up... no visible alcohol on the streets... a great party mood.
My only concern was the organisation of the project for the day. The goal was to have people hold hands in a continuous line stretching along the Catalonian coast from the French border to the place where Catalonia joins the next Spanish region. That's a lot of hands... a lot of people. They bused in pretty teenagers from outlying villages... wearing their authentic folk costumes... a boy and a girl from each village. These teenagers looked so pretty/handsome. Many had badges, attached to their clothes, identifying the leading families in the village that they represented. They were excited and keen to talk about their experience... a condition Joye exploited to the full. There were so many people in full Catalonia colours, wanting to join the hand holding line, they were falling over each other. I was worried that someone picked to hold hands on the sea cliff above the Costa Brava beaches might have to pull out and the vacant spot may break the circuit... and the kindness and goodwill emanating from Barcelona may not be shared across the whole region.
At 17:14 pm, with the sky full with helicopters... with riot police holding their breath, the 300th Anniversary of the loss of nationhood came and went. The continuous line of held hands were raised to the heavens... and the Catalonian anthem was sung with appropriate reverence. Everyone kissed whoever was within arm's reach... they packed up their flags and moved off to join the parade.
We never did hear if the line of held hands completed its circuit. I'd like to think it did... wouldn't you?
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