The Diada Nacional de Catalunya, 2006

Catalunya is the only place I know that celebrates its own defeat: on September 11, 1714, Barcelona surrendered to Spain in the nine- year- long War of Succession.

Today, Catalunya commemorates this with memorials, speeches and gatherings.

You truly feel the pride of the Catalonian and their wish to be independent from Spain, even today. This pride is shown by displaying the flag everywhere, and I mean everywhere.

carrer Verdi, Barcelona, 2006

The flag of Catalunya is called the senyera, meaning sign and is treasured by many Catalans.

I have been told the senyera’s stripes represent four bloodied fingers smeared on a shield. In my research for this blog I found inconsistencies in how the flag’s design originated. Click HERE to read one of its colorful stories.

Anyway, while taking a walk we found ourselves at the Plaça de la Revolució, in the barrio Gràcia, where there was a wonderful crowd mostly of young persons, listening to Catalan music.

Plaça de la Revolució, Barcelona, 2006

I shot a video where you will hear the music, a speech in Catalan, (even if you don’t understand it, hearing the language is a treat), see a little of the plaça and the attentive crowd.

So click HERE for the QuickTime video.

Enjoy!!

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