DAY
OF SPAIN 12th OCTOBER
The
12th of October is a day that is celebrated in many countries across the globe.
We're going to take a short trip around the world to show you how this day is
celebrated. Let's
get going!
- In Spain, the 12th of October is
called "Día de la
Hispanidad". It is also
known more informally as the Day of the Armed Forces Parade. This is
because on this day there is a large military parade in Madrid that takes place on this day. In
Zaragoza, the October 12 is also the day
of the Virgen del Pilar. This colorful festival is one of the most famous
and popular festivals that take place in Spain.
- In the United States this day is
known as "Columbus Day" , and,
curiously, this day exists thanks to the influence of Italian Americans
and their immigrant ancestors. This is because Columbus
originally came from Genoa,
Italy.
Today many Latin American communities celebrate this day also, sometimes
calling it El Día de la Raza.
- In Mexico, this celebration is
known as the "Día de la
Raza". Today this
holiday celebrates the legacy of Pre-Columbian Mexico. In Colombia,
this day is also known by the same name.
- In
1994, Costa Rica created the Día de las Culturas . (Day of the
Cultures) in which this county celebrates the contributions of the
indigenous, Spanish, African and Asian cultures of this country.
Curiously,
the first country to celebrate the Día de la Hispanidad was Argentina. This
country first celebrated this day in 1917 (this holiday would come to Spain one year
later). Today, this celebration has changed to become the Día de la Resistencia de los
Pueblos Originarios (Day of Indigenous Peoples Resistance) thanks to the
protests of activist groups within the country. In Venezuela, this day has used that name since
2002.
"Hispanidad",
as we can see, is a controversial term and there have been some calls to have
its name changed. Should we do it? Maybe we should keep in mind how the word is
defined in the Dictionary of the Royal Academy of Spanish or RAE:
hispanidad. 1. f. A generic character of all the people
that speak the Spanish language and relate to Hispanic culture.
2. f. Group and community of Hispanic people.
Once
again, it is that language that unites us.
