Catalans passionate about life … and independence

BARCELONA, Spain — Among the rows of fruit, candy, meats and produce arrayed chromatically like an up-scale clothing store, tourists and locals weave their way through Barcelona’s famous outdoor market the Boqueria. It’s a sensory overload experience with the stench of freshly severed fish heads mingling with the scent of flowers and fruit, the contact sport of crammed body-against-body aisles, and the incessant chatter in multiple languages assaulting visitors from all directions. Americans are speaking English, Spanish are speaking Spanish, and Catalans are speaking well, Catalan, of course.

To the ear, Catalan is the bastard child of the romance languages, but it is actually older than Castilian Spanish. Catalan serves as one of two official languages in the Spanish province of Catalonia. Talk to any resident about the language of Catalan, and you’ll end up in a lively discussion about Catalonia’s independence from Spain.

Beyond the market, on the Ciutadella Campus of Pompeu Fabra University, a group of Catalan friends are hanging around their dorm talking about their personal views of Catalonia’s situation. Paula Hors Comadira, a resident of Girona, explains there are three general opinions about Catalonia’s independence, “Some want independence, some do not, and others are proud to be Catalan but are indifferent to independence,” she said. 

Coral Corominola Corcó, from Olot believes, like many proud Catalans, that independence is the best option for Catalonia. But why do so many Catalans share this conviction?

Catalonia is located in the northeast region of Spain with its coast kissing the Mediterranean. According to Ramon Tremosa-i-Balcells, a lecturer in macroeconomics at the University of Barcelona, Catalonia’s ideal geographical location has blessed the region with lucrative ports such as Tarragona, Valencia and its capital, Barcelona. 

The coastline also offers “playa y sol” — beach and sun. Every year millions of tourists flock to Catalonia to bask in the Mediterranean climate and immerse themselves in the historic culture. The port cities and tourist attractions are major factors that contribute to Catalonia’s prosperous economy. 

The region is so prosperous, in fact, that the Catalonian economy accounts for 25 percent of Spain’s GDP, according to Barcelona.com. Catalonia would be able to thrive economically if it was independent, but this is bad news for Spain. “The economy is good, and that’s the problem,” said Hors Comadira. 

But the desire for independence goes beyond numbers and figures. Gerard Espelt Fernández from Berga explained that being Catalan is very different from being Spanish. “We have our own identity, our own history, our own language, and our own culture, [which are] all very different from that of Spain,” he said.

Almost from the moment they are born, Catalans have the Catalan culture embedded into their daily lives. They are taught in Catalan throughout their academic careers with obligatory Spanish classes in order to master both languages. They grow up with traditions unique to Catalonia alone such as Día de San Jordi, a holiday in which women and men exchange books and roses. Even the food is different with their slices of embulido, a type of cured sausage, and pan con tomate, a staple Spanish snack that originated in Catalonia.

The pride of Catalans is warmly contagious, a sentiment easily picked up by those who come to Catalonia. Espelt Fernández’s grandparents are from Andalusia in the southern Spain, and his mother was born in Catalonia. “She feels very Catalan, just as much as anyone who is Catalan,” he said.

To espouse Catalan independence is easy, but to actually obtain independence  another story. Spain is comprised of 17 autonomous provinces, but each is still part of a unified country, much like the United States. When creating laws, the president of each province must abide by the Spanish constitution despite the degree of autonomy that exists in his or her region. The president of Catalonia, therefore, could not simply declare independence for Catalonia because it would violate the Spanish constitution.

“The leader of a party can’t base his campaign on the independence of Catalonia. All of Spain would be against it,” explained Horts Comadira. Instead, the party leader can support a higher level of autonomy. “The independence of Catalonia will be a slow, gradual process,” said Espelt Fernández.

Not all Catalans favor independence. David Prat of Girona understands the difficulty in attaining independence for Catalonia. “I would like independence for Catalonia, but it’s not necessary,” he said. Prat admits his parents are more radical and hope to separate from Spain, but this is due to their history. Their strong Catalan pride resulted from years living under dictator Francisco Franco when the autonomy of the Spanish provinces was strictly forbidden.

Yet Prat explains that there are some citizens of Catalonia who believe the Catalan culture is not different from but instead part of the Spanish culture. It’s not necessarily about rejecting the Spanish culture, but rather enjoying the two cultures that exist in Catalonia.

“If we can’t have independence, the next best thing would be recognition from Europe and the rest of the world that we have our own culture and our own language,” said Prat. “I would want respect for our traditions.”