AN INTRODUCTION TO GALICIA

On the northwestern corner of the Iberian Peninsula lies an ancient country called Galicia. Settled in antiquity by Phoenicians, Celts, Greeks and Romans, later by Suevi, Franks, Burgundians, Britons and Normans, and by Jews and pilgrims from all over Europe, this intriguing land of green hills, sea cliffs and misty forests covers an area slightly larger than Massachusetts and barely smaller than Belgium. 

Mountains and rivers isolate Galicia from the rest of the Iberian Peninsula. The terrain is green and hilly, with the greater part lying at elevations between 600 and 2000 feet. Its 800 mile coastline on the North Atlantic is characterized by a series of sea inlets called rías. James Michener possibly described Galicia’s coast better than any other writer: “The glory of Galicia is its chain of rías, those fjord-like indentions of the sea that reach far inland with a burden of fish and salt air and noble landscape.” 

Galicia is an autonomous region within Spain. It has its own president and parliament. The official languages are galego (Galician) and castellano (Castillan Spanish). Galician shares much in common with Spanish, Portuguese and Italian, especially the Italian dialect spoken in Venice.

The capital of Galicia is Santiago de Compostela, often referred to simply as Compostela. It was described by Ernest Hemingway as “the most enchanting town in Spain.”

The Galician Language

The beautifully soft and melodic Galician language might sound no different from Spanish to those who don’t speak either one, but it is a much older language, and it is closer to the original Latin root from which both languages developed. It also retains some influences of the languages spoken by the Central European settlers who established themselves in Galicia over the centuries.

When looking for landmarks, take into account the fact that sometimes signs are in Galician, other times in Spanish. The word “street” is calle in Spanish, rúa in Galician, or ruela if it is very small. The word “plaza” (“square” in British English) is plaza in Spanish, praza in Galician. The names of some towns and geographical locations also change. Cape Finisterre is “Finisterre” in Spanish, “Fisterra” in Galician. The letter “j” in Spanish usually becomes “x” in Galician; thus, the “Street of Jerusalem” in Compostela is “Calle de Jerusalen” in Spanish, “Ruela de Xerusalen” in Galician. Also, the Spanish articles “el” or “la” (meaning “the”) become “o” and “a” in Galician. The double “L” in Spanish becomes a single “L” in Galician; thus, the Galician language is called gallego in Spanish, and galego in Galician.

Dining in Galicia

Dining in Galicia can be a very satisfying experience. Outstanding seafood, veal and a variety of vegetable dishes are available. Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Argentine, Turkish, Italian, and vegetarian restaurants are found in the major cities. As of this writing (September 2009), there are no Kosher restaurants.

Some of my favorite regional dishes:

Caldo galego: Vegetable broth made with potatoes, beans, pork meat, sausages and either turnip tops, rapini or cabbage. I love caldo galego.

Empanada: Traditional Galician pie with different fillings including beef, chicken, vegetables, tuna, cod fish, octopus or other seafood. My favorites are empanada de pulpo (with octopus), or empanada de verduras (with vegetables).

Pulpo: Octopus. My favorite way to have pulpo is á feira (in the style of the fairs) served on a wooden plate with olive oil and paprika, or con cachelos (with potatoes) served as before but on a base of boiled potatoes.

The Weather in Galicia

The weather in the coastal regions of Galicia is similar to that of the coastal regions of Southern England. It is never too hot or too cold. Average summer temperatures are below 70°F. Average winter temperatures are above 50°F. It is always cool at night, with nighttime temperatures in summer often being lower than daytime temperatures in winter. The rainfall is abundant year round. It can rain at any time of year, although the rain is usually a fine drizzle (in Galician they call it orballo). Heavy storms do occur, particularly in winter, but some winters barely see any rain at all and temperatures stay well into the sixties. The best we can say about North Atlantic weather is that it is unpredictable, as any experienced seaman can confirm.

For complete weather reports visit: www.meteogalicia.es

A Piece of Thirteenth Century Historical Fiction

Texto del Rey Alfonso X, llamado "El Sabio" (1221-1284):

“De cuemo Hercules lidio con el Rey Gerión yl mato.

...E cuando Hercules llego a Lixbona, sopo como un rey muy poderoso auie en Esperia que tenie la tierra desde Taio fasta Duero, e por que auie sieteprouincias en su sennorio fue dicho en las fabliellas antiguas que auiesiete cabeças; y estefue Gerion, y era gigante muy fuerte y muy liger,de guisa que por fuerça derecha auie conquista la tierra e auien le porfuerça a dar los omnes la meatad de quanto auien, tan bien de los fijose de las fijas cuemo de lo al, ea los que no lo querien fazer mataualos. E por esto era muy mal quisto de todas las gentes, mas noosauan yr contra el por que no auies y qui los deffender; et cuando sopieron que Hercules uinie, enuiaron le dezir, que el, quetantos buenos fechos fiziera e tantos omnes sacara de premia e de malsennorio, queacorriese a ellos, e quel darien toda la tierra. Quandoesto oyo Hercules, plogol mucho e fuesse pora alla; ca maguer ell eradel linage de los gigantes emuy fuerte, no era por esso omne cruo ni demala sennoria, ante era muy piadosoa los buenos y muy brauo e fuert alos malos; e quando oyo las querellas daquellas yentes, doliosse dellase fuesse pora ellos. E quando Gerion lo sopo, fuesse con sus huestespora aquel logar ó fue despues poblada la cibdat quedizen Crunna, queera estonce yermo. Hercules enuio dezir a Gerion que lasyentes no auien por que matarse ni por que lazrar, mas que lidiassen ellos amosun porotro; y el que uenciesse, que fuesse toda la tierra suya. E Gerion atreuiendose en su ualentia, e demas que era mayor que el, dixo quelplazie. E lidiaron tresdias que nos podien uencer; en cabo uencioHercules, e cortol la cabeça de Gerión. E mando en aquel lugar fazer una torre muy grand; e fizo meter la cabeça de Gerion en el cimiento, emando poblar y una gran cibdat, e fazie escreuir los nombres de losomnes e de las mugeres que y uinien poblar, y el primero poblador que yuino fue una muger que auie nombre Crunna, e por esso lpuso assi nombrea la cibdat”. F. J. González García, Mitos y leyendas de la Torre de Hércules. La Coruña, 1987. Vol. I, 88 y ss.

(1221-1284):

From a text by King Alfonso X, known as "The Wise"

“On how Hercules battled King Geryon and slew him:

…And when Hercules arrived in Lisbon, he heard there was a very powerful king in Spain who possessed the land from the Tagus to the Duero, and that because he had seven provinces in his kingdom, it was said in ancient fables that he had seven heads; and this was Geryon, who was a very strong and agile giant, and had conquered the land by right of force, and men were forced to give him half of what they owned, and of their sons and daughters as well as of their own, and those who did not wish to do so he had killed. And because of this he was cursed by all the people, yet they did not dare rebel against him because they had no one to defend them; and when they heard that Hercules was near, they sent word to him saying that he, who so many good deeds had performed and so many men had freed from oppression and from evil rulers, to come to their aid, and they would give him all the land. When Hercules heard this, he was pleased, and he went there; for although he was of the lineage of giants and very strong, he was neither a crude man nor a bad ruler; on the contrary, he was pious towards those who were good but tough and strong with those who were bad; and when he heard the grievances of those people, he felt pain for them and went to their aid. When Geryon heard this, he proceeded with his cohorts tothat place where a city would later be built that is now called Crunna, which was then barren. Hercules sent word to Geryon saying there was no need forpeople to be killed or injured, that the masters should fight one against the other, and whosoever should win, all the land would be his. And Geryon daring in his bravery, and also being older than Hercules, agreed. And they battled three days, during which neither could claim victory; at the end Hercules was triumphant and cut off Geryon’s head. And he commanded that a great tower beraised in that place; and he had Geryon’s head buried in the foundations, and commanded that a great city be built, and had the names written of all those men and women who came to populate it, and the first settler was a woman whose name was Crunna, and for this reason Hercules gave this name to the city.” F.J. González García, Mitos y leyendas de la Torre de Hércules [Myths and Legends of the Tower of Hercules]. Corunna, 1987. Vol. I,pp. 88 et seq.

Translations by Walter Moure

A Piece of Old Galician Poetry

Cantiga de San Simón / Cantiga of San Simón


(Galego-Portugués, Old Galician-Portuguese)


Sedia-m'eu na ermida de San Simón
E cercaron-mi-as ondas que grandes son.
Eu atendend'o meu amigo. E verrá?


Estando na ermida, ant'o altar,
Cercaron-mi-as ondas grandes do mar
Eu atendend'o meu amigo. E verrá?


E cercaron-mi-as ondas que grandes son: 
Non ei i barqueiro nen remador.
Eu atendend'o meu amigo. E verrá?


E cercaron-mi-as ondas do alto mar: 
Non ei i barqueiro nen sei remar.
Eu atendend'o meu amigo. E verrá?


Non ei i barqueiro nen remador: 
Morrerei eu, fremosa, no mar maior.
Eu atendend'o meu amigo. E verrá?


Morrerei eu, fremosa, no alto mar.
Eu atendend'o meu amigo. E verrá?
Non ei i barqueiro nen sei remar:


     Mendiño
     (Meendiño / Mendinho / Meendinho)
     Siglo XIII

(English)

As I stood in the chapel of San Simón,

Waves, so large, surrounded me.

I wait for my beloved. Will he return?


There in the chapel, before the altar,
The large waves of the sea surrounded me.
I wait for my beloved. Will he return?


I wait for my beloved. Will he return?
And the waves, so large, surrounded me.
I have neither boatman nor oarsman.


And the waves of the high sea surrounded me.
I have no boatman, nor can I row.
I wait for my beloved. Will he return?


I wait for my beloved. Will he return?
I have neither boatman nor oarsman.
I will die, a maiden, in the deep sea.


I wait for my beloved. Will he return?
I have no boatman, nor can I row.
I will die, a maiden, amid the rising sea.

 Mendiño
 (also spelled Meendiño, Mendinho or Meendinho)
 Thirteenth Century

Translations by Walter Moure