Catalan mountains:hiking & catalan nationalism

Ses 14b

Sports & SocietyXavier Carmaniu Mainadé

Hiking and mountain sports Hiking: a popular

activity in Catalonia.It was a cultural

activity rather than sport.

Mountain sport: skiing, climbing, trekking appeared later.

European cultural contextEnlightenment

(XVIIIth): Man wanted to explore, know new things.

Romanticism (XIXth): Man got in touch with nature.

Caspar David Friedrich

Catalan background XIXth centur: Catalonia discovered itself

(interest in history, culture and catalan traditions grew this period is called “La Renaixença” (“Rebirth”, like Risorgimento in Italy).

The only way to understand and love a place is to get to know it: hiking.

Also get to know its people and customs: folklore and ethnography (study of cultures and societies).

Hiking beginnings1876 b. Associació Catalana

d’Excursions Científiques (Catalan Association of Scientific

Excursions).1878 (separation) b.

Associació d’Excursions Catalana.(Catalan Assocation of Excursions)

1890 (reunification): Centre Excursionista de Catalunya (CEC). (Excursionist Center of Catalonia)

Love for the land, love for science These assocations are

tied with catalan culture :Explore: nature, catalan

folklore.Spread catalan language

(demonstrated that catalan is a valuable language to science).

Associations participated in important events: Memorial de Greuges. Exposición 1888.

Key places for hiking in Catalonia

Canigó. French catalan pyrenees

Montserrat, mountain & monastery

Monastery of Ripoll, essential to Catalana Identity

Portal of the Ripoll, good example of romanic art

1909, Setmana Tràgica (Tragic Week)

Setmana Tràgica (tragic week)July 1909: catalan reserve soldiers were sent

to fight in Morocco (spanish colony).Riots in Barcelona by working class people.Set fire to convents attacked catholic

hierarchy.Strong military repression to stop the riots. Francesc Ferrer Guardia was condemned and

executed (anarchist teacher) (nowadays Monument in Montjuïc).

Deep consequencesCreated a divide between city vs mountain :Catalan bourgeoise removed itself

from the city: violent, hostile, dangerous.

Mountain was mythologized peaceful place, without conflict, with everyone living in harmony). (Actually it was false, because in mountain areas there was conflict).

Reflected in paintings, literature…

Paintings with mountain views were popular (Olot School).

…but at the same time

Mountain sports appeared

Context: modern sports (burgeoise).

Due to relationship with Europe.In 1908 Mountain Sports Section of CEC was created.

Speleology (caving)Definition: exploration

of caves with scientific and sport goals.

Pioneer in Catalonia: priest Norbert Font Sagué.Due to his participation

in the first french caving exploration in Catalonia.

His first descents started in 1891.

Hiking nowadaysDuring Franco’s dictatorship hiking

associatons had problems:Linked with catalan nationalism (some

assotiations were prohibited).There were places where hiking wasn’t allowed

: Pyrenees (military zone, bordering France).Since the “Transición” (after Franco era),

hiking is more a sport than cultural activity. But the cultural aspect remains.

“Hem fet el cim!” (We did it!)August 1985: first

catalan expedition to climb Everest.

It was an expedition with substantial press coverage.

A very popular slogan/motto in Catalonia : “Hem fet el cim” (“we have arrived to the top of the peak”).