http://www.literaturfestival.com/bios1_3_6_478.html - A short essay on the writing of Rivas.
http://www.galiciaguide.com/ - More info on Galicia, the culture and the people.
http://www.santiago-compostela.net/ - Info on the pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Destinos/CCAA/Datos+Generales/M/0/Geografia.htm?language=en - Official Spanish Tourist Board info on Galicia
http://www.ryanair.com/en/cheap-london-stansted-uk-santiago-de-compostela-spain-flights - Fly Ryanair to Santiago de Compostela.
http://www.turgalicia.es/ - Where to stay and go in Galicia.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Contextualising Rivas
To make yourself more familiar with the small, maritime region of Spain located in thenorth-west of the country called Galicia, it would be good start to read “Que me quieres, amor?” by Manuel Rivas. Rivas himself is a true Galician who writes with pride and love when telling the stories of his homeland. Being one of Galicia’s best known writers, what better way to get a clear and deep and insight into Galicia, its culture and lifestyle than from a man who lived it passionately himself and from these stories, particularly “Un Saxo en la Niebla”, “La Lechera de Vermeer” "Carmiña" and "El míster y Iron Maiden", one can do just that.
The history of Galicia is one of severe hardship and struggle, mainly being defined by mass emigration. The story “Un Saxo en la Niebla”, told in three parts, tells us of the Orquestra Azul’s journey abroad. As many Galicians did in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Orquestra Azul also travelled abroad to get work, particularly in Buenos Aires, where the group actually plan to go themselves in Rivas’ tales.
“Corría la leyenda de que conseguías un contracto para ir a tocar a Montevideo y Buenos Aires, podía volver con sombrero y con ese brillo sano que se le pone a la cara cuando llevas la cartera llena.” (pg. 41, Rivas)
This line gives an insight as to what the Gallegos went through at the time. While areas like Cataluña and the Vaís Basco had their thriving industries and developed towns and cities, Galicia was known as the poorest part of Spain; even their biggest industry, agriculture, was unsuccessful. And so people emigrated to where the jobs were, mainly Buenos Aires, where the Spanish people there are commonly known as Gallegos due to the mass emigration of the Galicians to the area. Furthermore, as this story deals with the Orquestra Azul, music is an obvious theme, and an important part of Galician culture also. Galicia is not known for the flamenco music and sombreros as the rest of Spain is, here there are very strong Celtic connections, with the Gaita Galega or bagpipes as their main instrument of choice. So not only are the Galicians geographically quite separate from Spain, their historical culture and background also make them quite unique.
The story of Vermeer’s Milkmaid (“La Lechera de Vermeer”) can tell its readers about another important part of Galician life: the sea. Geographically situated in the north-west of Spain, Galicia is largely surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Biscay to the north and plays a huge role in the daily lifestyle of the Galicians from their food to their stories, especially Rivas. Mentions of the lighthouse and the sea itself trace this story back to Galicia (“La luz del faro es un detalle importante para mí: mi padre está el otro lado del mar, en un sitio que llaman La Guaira.” Pg58, Rivas). Reference to the “other side of the sea” also indicates immigration in Galicia, a common recurring theme in Galician history.
In Carmiña we see the small town of Sarndón, a town very much exposed to the elements. From the beginning of the story we see evidence of this (
In "El míster y Iron Maiden" we see many aspets of Galician culture and tradition. From the "palillaba" the mother is weaving at the start of the story to the use of "la ferrada". A "palillaba" is crisscrossing weave bobbin lace, a kind of turned stick. It is a work of craftsmanship in the region of Camarinas Coruña (see picture), while a "ferrada" is a large metal sheet used by trawlers to collect barnacles, muscles or clams, a common practice in the area. Last, but not least, the story has a father and son arguing about a football match...every Galician's favourite pastime!
Visiting Galicia as a Rivas Fan
Galicia offers tourists with a wealth of interesting outings from the rich views from the Xalo mountains to many of the local delicacies. What Rivas brilliantly captured in his celebrated work ¿Qué me quieres, amor? is easily found throughout Galicia, just waiting to be discovered.
Galicia's beaches may not be as famous (or infamous) as those found in the South but they offer a strong link with many of the themes expressed within Rivas' work. Visitors can take a trip to the memorials located next to Costa da Morte's lighthouse, these simple tombstones highlights the dangerous yet essential aspects of the sea to Galicia.
The city of A Coruña is number one on the list for most visitors to Galicia, here it is possible to catch a game at the 'Riazor' stadium. Home to Deportivo La Coruña, it's a stronghold of Galician nationalism. The city is also the capital of this autonomous state, and is it's central port. In the past the majority of those emigrants leaving for the New World would have come through its port, so this city would be perfect to capture the mood Rivas spoke of so eloquently.
A trip to Camarinas should not be missed. Here in this old fishing town, the traditional crafting of 'palillabas' still takes place. Also it may be possible to get a glimpse of the 'ferradas' used by fishermen across the Galician coast. Here it is also possible to sample the wonderful cuisine of Galicia, much of it coming from the seas which surround it. A trip to Galicia should never be without a trip to Santiago de Compostela, for a slice 'Torta de Santiago'.
Rivas Today
An avid environmentalist, Rivas was a founding member of the Spanish division of Greenpeace in 1981 and has used his influence as a journalist and artistic skills as a writer to speak out against the environmental abuse of his native Galicia. His most notable association with environmental awareness was in 2002, when the oil tanker Prestige ran aground off Galicia’s coast with 77,000 tons of fuel aboard, resulting in the worst environmental disaster the region has ever seen.
Speaking to Elizabeth Nash [
His views, both on the environment and on Galicia, still hold true today and we are proud to have him as a spokesperson for the community.
Manuel Rivas Bio
Manuel Rivas is a globally renowned author and poet who comes from the Galician region of northwest Spain. Born on the 24th October 1957 in the Spanish seaside town of La Coruña, Rivas began his writing career as a journalist for El Ideal Gallego at the young age of 15, and since then has worked for such prestigious newspapers as El País. Rivas’s father, like many other natives of Galicia, emigrated during Franco’s reign, to work as a construction worker in Venezuela, and Rivas was confronted with this reality often in his youth, as several members of his community gradually emigrated to foreign shores.
Rivas is a Galician treasure and his writings encourage many to come visit our shores. In this website we hope contextualise his most famous works to give culturally aware tourists more information and a background on Galicia's most esteemed writer.
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