The Spanish region of Andalusia is internationally surrounded by Gibraltar and Portugal, as well as the autonomous communities of Castile-La Mancha, Murcia, and Extremadura. Today, it is renowned for being one of the 17 autonomous regions of Spain, however; it hasn’t always been this way.
Ask anyone what they think of when someone says 'Spain' and I can promise you that it will most likely have something to do with flamenco or bullfighting. What if I told you that these things aren't really 'Spanish' as such, in fact, they are Andalusian.
Blas Infante is coined as the founder of Andalusian nationalism and affectionately known as the “father of Andalusia”. He is the creator of the Andalusian flag and the author of the regional anthem, “Himno de Andalucía”. The anthem, which was released just a week before the outbreak of the Civil War, is rooted in a religious song of the peasants.
The anthem encourages the Andalusian people to push for “land and freedom”.
The Day of Andalusia (Día de Andalucía) commemorates the anniversary of the referendum held on February 28, 1980. On this day, the Andalusian people voted in favour of making Andalusia an autonomous region of Spain.
The referendum was due to be held in 1936, but the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War put a halt to these plans, pushing it back by nearly half a century. However, it wasn’t until two years after the referendum that the autonomy of the Andalusian region was upheld by the Spanish government.
The Spanish Parliament only accepted Andalusia as a historic nationality in 2006.
While the government may recognise Andalusian as one single nationality today, it is important to remember the many cultures, races, and histories that blended together to make what we now know as ‘Andalusian’. Perhaps the easiest influence to spot is that of the Arabs. Thanks to its prime location, the Moors occupied the south of Spain for over 800 years. Their traces can be found all over Andalusia; from the whitewashed walls and the beautiful patios, to the Mezquita-Catedral in Córdoba and the Royal Alcázar in Seville. It is clear that Andalusia is not a single nationality, but rather a melting point of many nationalities both past and present.
The 28th February is today one of the many modern regional holidays celebrated in Spain every year. In Andalusia, most shops will remain closed, as well as businesses, banks, and government offices.
In Malaga, the week of 28th February is known as “Semana Blanca”, or “White Week”.
During Semana Blanca, children have time off school to celebrate the autonomous holiday. Just before the schools break up for the holiday, the children have a traditional Andalusian breakfast known as “tosada con aceite”, literally meaning “toast with olive oil”. This consists of toast with tomatoes and olive oil, sometimes topped with ham slices. Adults normally finish this off with a cup of coffee, but children have hot chocolate instead. Some schools host exhibitions and put on plays. Perhaps most importantly, they learn the words to the regional anthem and do activities where they make the Andalusian flag.
The towns and villages also host their own celebrations. The squares are decorated in the colours of green and white to represent the colours of the Andalusian flag, municipal bands will line the streets, and the regional anthem is sung.