AN INTRODUCTION TO GALICIA

On the northwestern corner of the Iberian Peninsula lies a country known in antiquity as Gallaecia, and now called Galicia or Galiza. Settled in ancient times by Phoenicians, Celts, Greeks and Romans, later by Suevi, Franks, Burgundians, Britons and Normans, and by pilgrims and Jews from every corner of 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 city’s old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its cathedral has been the destination for over one thousand years of the millions of pilgrims who have trekked El Camino de Santiago (the Way of Saint James), one of Europe’s oldest and most popular pilgrimage routes.

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 much older and 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 signs can be either in Galician or in Spanish. For example:

- The word “street” is “calle” in Spanish, “rúa” in Galician, or “ruela” if very small.

- The word “plaza” (“square” in British English) is “plaza” in Spanish, “praza” in Galician.

- The word “church” is “iglesia” in Spanish, “igrexa” in Galician.

The names of some towns and geographical locations also change. For example:

- 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 called “Calle de Jerusalén” in Spanish, “Ruela de Xerusalén” in Galician.

- The Spanish articles “el” or “la” (meaning “the”) become “o” and “a” in Galician; thus, “La Coruña” in Spanish becomes “A Coruña” in Galician.

- The genders of nouns often change. For example, “the Roman bridge” is “el puente romano” in Spanish, and “a ponte romana” 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.

- The word “dos” in Galician means “of the,” unlike in Spanish where it means “two.” Thus, the Hostal dos Reís Católicos means the “Hotel of the Catholic Monarchs.”

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.

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).

Pementos de Padrón: These are tasty (and healthily full of antioxidants) little green peppers, originally grown in Padrón. They are fried and served with cooking salt. Galicians have a saying about their adored little peppers: Algúns pican e outros non, which means that some are hot and some are not, and the problem is you never know which are which, until, of course, you put one into your mouth, and then you have to call the fire department.

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 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, Siglo XIII
     (También escrito: Meendiño, Mendinho, Meendinho)
    

(English)

As I sat 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, Thirteenth Century

 (Also spelled Meendiño, Mendinho or Meendinho.)

Translations by Walter Aschiero