Asturians

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Asturians (English)Asturianos (Spanish)
Flag of Asturias (indoor).svg
Flag of Asturias
Regions with significant populations
Asturians in Asturias: 973,427
(for a total population of 1,018,706) [1]
Diaspora
Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina 33,749 [2]
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 22,742 [2]
Flag of Cuba.svg  Cuba 15,669 [2]
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 8,208 [2]
Flag of the United States.svg  United States 7,440 [2]
Flag of Venezuela.svg  Venezuela 5,224 [2]
Flag of France.svg  France 4,913 [3]
Flag of Chile.svg  Chile 4,767 [3]
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 3,994 [3]
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland 3,786 [3]
Other countries23,362 [2]
Languages
Asturian, Galician, Spanish
Religion
Roman Catholicism
Related ethnic groups
Galicians, Leonese, Cantabrians, Extremadurans, Mirandese, Vaqueiros de alzada, Spaniards

Asturians (Asturian : asturianos) are a Romance [4] ethnic group native to the autonomous community of Asturias, in the North-West of the Iberian Peninsula.

Contents

Culture and society

Heritage

The Asturians have Celtic (Astures) and Latin cultural origins, most notably found in the Asturian language.

Religion

Asturians' religious affiliation is predominantly Roman Catholic. The Catholic faith has historically been important to Asturians, as the Battle of Covadonga and the founding of an independent Asturian Kingdom by Pelayo were believed to have been due to the fact that Pelayo prayed to a statue of the Virgin Mary in a cave before his victory in battle. Believing that Mary miraculously aided the Asturians in the battle, a shrine was set up in her honour in Covadonga.[ citation needed ]

Prior to their Christianization, Asturians followed a polytheistic Celtic religion. Many elements of this faith have survived in the form of Asturian mythological creatures and folkloric legends told today. [5]

Languages

Throughout history, Asturian people have been subject to multiple language shifts. They originally spoke a Q-Celtic language, similar to that of the neighbouring Gallaeci people. [6] However, due to the Roman conquest of Asturias, the language became replaced with the modern Asturian language, also known as bable, which is a Romance language. Since few records of the original Celtic language remain, it cannot be revived and has gone extinct. [7]

The Asturian language, once also widely spoken by Asturians, has been in decline since the early 20th century, although around 40% of Asturians still speak the language (10% as a mother tongue). [8] As Asturias is presently part of Spain, language shift toward Castilian Spanish continues to occur. Whilst not recognized as an official language in Spain, it is protected under the Autonomous Statute legislation, and efforts to preserve the language continue to be made. In the western part of Asturias, Eonavian (which is a transition language between Galician and Asturian) is also spoken, and its promotion also falls under the responsibility of Law 1/1998. [9]

Cuisine

The most famous traditional dish is Fabada Asturiana, a rich stew made with large white beans (fabes), pork shoulder (llacón), morciella, chorizu, and saffron (azafrán). Apple groves foster the production of the traditional alcoholic drink, a natural cider (sidra). It is a very dry cider, and unlike French or English natural ciders, uses predominantly acidic apples, rather than sweet or bittersweet. Sidra is traditionally poured in by an expert server (or escanciador): the bottle is raised high above his or her head to oxygenate the brew as it moves into the glass below. [10]

Music

The Danza Prima is the most famous Asturian dance. [11] The most characteristic instrument is the gaita asturiana , or Asturian bagpipe. [12] Similar bagpipes can be found in neighbouring regions such as Cantabria and Galicia. [13]

Emigration

In March 2019, it was reported that there are 133,854 Asturians living in 65 countries. [2]

Americas

Asturians were involved in the development of the New World and their descendants in present-day Latin America, esp. in Argentina and Uruguay; and other countries where Asturians moved to during the rule of the Spanish Empire. The Industrial Revolution came to Asturias after 1830 with the discovery and systematic exploitation of coal and iron resources. At the same time, there was significant migration to the Americas (i.e. Mexico, Cuba [14] [15] [16] [17] and Puerto Rico); those who succeeded overseas often returned to their native land much wealthier. These entrepreneurs were known collectively as 'Indianos', for having visited and made their fortunes in the West Indies and beyond. The heritage of these wealthy families can still be seen in Asturias today: many large 'modernista' villas are dotted across the region, as well as cultural institutions such as free schools and public libraries. Asturian communities, social clubs, sporting teams, financial banks and amateur vocal groups are still found in Mexico and Argentina as well across South America.

Tens of thousands of Asturians moved to the United States [18] en masse, mainly to agricultural industries of Florida [19] and California and the zinc smelters of West Virginia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They were also involved in working in industrial bases of Midwestern factory towns. (see Asturian-American). A characteristic of the Asturian wherever they go is their attachment to the land of their birth. This is reflected in the 82 Asturian Centers [20] in America. [21] Well-known people whose ancestors are Asturian, include Gloria Estefan, Eva Longoria, Vicente Fox, Lauren Jauregui, Miguel Díaz-Canel or Pimpinela. Martín de Argüelles was the first european who has born in the current United States.

As of 2019, there are 103,655 Asturian living in the Americas. [2]

Europe

In the case of Europe, the largest Asturian community sits in Belgium, with 8,208 members. France, with 4,913, Germany, with 3,994, and Switzerland, with 3,786, are also traditional countries of Asturian emigration. [3]

Notable people of Asturian origin

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pelagius of Asturias</span> King of Asturias (c. 685–737)

Pelagius was a Hispano-Visigoth nobleman who founded the Kingdom of Asturias in 718. Pelagius is credited with initiating the Reconquista, the Christian reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors, and establishing the Asturian monarchy, making him the forefather of all the future Iberian monarchies, including the Kings of Castile, the Kings of León, and the Kings of Portugal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingdom of Asturias</span> Kingdom in Iberia (718–924)

The Kingdom of Asturias was a kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula founded by the Visigothic nobleman Pelagius. It was the first Christian political entity established after the Umayyad conquest of Visigothic Hispania in 711. In the Summer of 722, Pelagius defeated an Umayyad army at the Battle of Covadonga, in what is retroactively regarded as the beginning of the Reconquista.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asturias</span> Autonomous community and province of Spain

Asturias officially the Principality of Asturias, is an autonomous community in northwest Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oviedo</span> Municipality in Asturias, Spain

Oviedo or Uviéu is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial centre of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city. Oviedo is located approximately 24 km (15 mi) southwest of Gijón and 23 km (14 mi) southeast of Avilés, both of which lie on the shoreline of the Bay of Biscay. Oviedo's proximity to the ocean of less than 30 kilometres (19 mi) in combination with its elevated position with areas of the city more than 300 metres above sea level causes the city to have a maritime climate, in spite of its not being located on the shoreline itself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mieres</span> Municipality in Asturias, Spain

Mieres is a municipality of Asturias, northern Spain, with approximately 38,000 inhabitants. The municipality of Mieres is made up of the capital, Mieres del Camino and the villages of Baíña, Figaredo, Cenera, Loredo, La Peña, La Rebollada, Santullano, Santa Rosa, Seana, Ujo, Urbiés, Valdecuna, Santa Cruz, Ablaña, Turón, Gallegos, Bustiello.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asturian language</span> Romance language of the West Iberian group

Asturian is a West Iberian Romance language spoken in the Principality of Asturias, Spain. Asturian is part of a wider linguistic group, the Asturleonese languages. The number of speakers is estimated at 100,000 (native) and 450,000. The dialects of the Astur-Leonese language family are traditionally classified in three groups: Western, Central, and Eastern. For historical and demographic reasons, the standard is based on Central Asturian. Asturian has a distinct grammar, dictionary, and orthography. It is regulated by the Academy of the Asturian Language. Although it is not an official language of Spain, it is protected under the Statute of Autonomy of Asturias and is an elective language in schools. For much of its history, the language has been ignored or "subjected to repeated challenges to its status as a language variety" due to its lack of official status.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xaviel Vilareyo</span> Asturian writer

Xaviel Vilareyo y Villamil was an Asturian writer born in Mieres in the Province of Asturias, Spain in 1967. He is associated with the Asturian literary group of the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centro Asturiano de Tampa</span> United States historic place

The Centro Asturiano is a historic site in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida, United States. Designed by Tampa-based architect M. Leo Elliott and located at 1913 Nebraska Avenue, the building served as a social club for immigrants and descendants of immigrants from Asturias, Spain. On July 24, 1974, it was added to the US National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victory Cross</span> 10th-century Asturian jewelled cross

The Victory Cross is an early 10th-century Asturian jewelled cross gifted by King Alfonso III of Asturias, who reigned from 866 to 910, to the Cathedral of San Salvador in Oviedo. It was made in 908 in the Castle of Gauzón.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lugones, Siero</span> Parish in Asturias, Spain

Lugones is a parish in Siero, a municipality within the province and autonomous community of Asturias, in northern Spain.

The Casa de la Apicultura is a museum in Boal, Asturias, Spain. It is the home of a collection relating to apiculture, which is a traditional activity in this part of Asturias.

José María Naveiras Escanlar, commonly known as Pepe el Ferreiro, was a Spanish archaeologist. He was born in Grandas de Salime, Asturias. He worked as blacksmith in the forge of his father and in other activities related to metallurgy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Asturias</span>

The History of Asturias includes everything from when the Paleolithic tribes settled in the Cantabrian Coast to the modern post-industrial society of today. On the etymology of the term "Asturias", some think that its origin can be traced back to the name of the Astura river, whose inhabitants were called "astures" by the Roman authors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ana Cano</span> Spanish philologist

Ana María Cano González is a Spanish philologist. She was dean of the faculty of Philology of the University of Oviedo and chair of romance philology. She received her master's degree in primary education in 1967, after exerting this profession, a license in philosophy and letters from the University of Oviedo in 1972, and a doctorate at the same institution in 1975, cum laude, with a thesis on "The speech of Somiedo". Since 2001, she has been president of the Academy of the Asturian Language.

Bloc for Asturias is a left-wing Asturian nationalist political party in Spain, based in the Principality of Asturias. In 2012 it joined with Asturian Nationalist Unity into the Commitment for Asturias.

Covadonga Romero Rodríguez was a Spanish sculptor and painter, a pioneer of the women's avant-garde of Asturias.

María Luisa García Sánchez was a Spanish Asturian chef, cookbook author and leading expert on Asturian cuisine and the culinary traditions of Asturias. Her debut Asturian cookbook, El arte de cocinar, first published in 1970, sold half a million copies and became ubiquitous in home kitchens throughout Asturias. It remains the best selling Asturian cookbook in history. She published a second part of her landmark cookbook, El arte de cocinar in 1982. Her other best known works include Platos típicos de Asturias, released in 1971, and her collaboration with other chefs on El libro de oro de la cocina española, an eight volume encyclopedia of Spanish cuisine.

The COVID-19 pandemic in Asturias was part of the Spanish outbreak of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

Enriqueta González Rubín was a Spanish writer. Her 1875 Viaxe del tío Pacho el Sordo a Uviedo is the earliest known novel published in Asturian.

Obdulia Álvarez Díaz was a Spanish singer of Asturian folk music.

References

  1. ↑ García, Eugenia (21 April 2020). "Asturias pierde en un año 4.094 habitantes". El Comercio (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 8 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "La diáspora asturiana se dispara: suma casi dos veces la población de Avilés". La Voz de Asturias (in European Spanish). 20 March 2019. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Con el mundo por montera picona". La Nueva España (in European Spanish). 27 May 2019. Archived from the original on 30 April 2023. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  4. ↑ Minahan, James (2000). One Europe, Many Nations: A Historical Dictionary of European National Groups. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 776. ISBN   978-0313309847. Romance (Latin) nations... Asturians
  5. ↑ Arrieta Gallastegui, Miguel I. (2005). Gentes y seres mágicos de la mitología de Asturias. Gonzalo Gil. Somonte-Cenero, Gijón: Ediciones Trea. ISBN   84-9704-177-1. OCLC   63700502.
  6. ↑ W., Cunliffe, Barry (2003). The Celts. Oxford University Press. p. 54. ISBN   0-19-280418-9. OCLC   51872321.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ↑ Adolfo Fernández Pérez; Florencio Friera (2005). Historia de Asturias. Oviedo: KRK Ediciones. ISBN   84-96476-60-X. OCLC   65461372.
  8. ↑ M. Teresa Turell (2001). Multilingualism in Spain : sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic aspects of linguistic minority groups. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. ISBN   1-85359-710-4. OCLC   54379444.
  9. ↑ Bauske 1995
  10. ↑ "El Ayuntamiento de Oviedo se vuelca con la sidra y celebra su Día Mundial, el próximo viernes - Noticias - oviedo.es". www.oviedo.es. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  11. ↑ "El texu de La Collada, testigo de la lucha por el medioambiente". El Comercio (in Spanish). 5 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  12. ↑ "Clemente Díaz, el gaitero de Ibias, un disco a los 87". La Nueva España (in Spanish). 17 June 2007. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  13. ↑ ""La gaita pertenece a la identidad musical de Cantabria"". El Diario Montañes (in European Spanish). 19 December 2007. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  14. ↑ "Asturian Center Building". Old Havana Web. Archived from the original on 26 March 2016. The Asturian Center opened ... in 1927. ... Today it houses the Universal Art Collection belonging to the National Museum of Fine Arts.
  15. ↑ "Asturian Center, Old Havana, Cuba". cuba-museums-guide.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2016. Address: Calle O´Reilly e/ Zulueta y Monserrate. La Habana Vieja. Ciudad de La Habana.
  16. ↑ Cervantes-Rodriguez, Margarita (31 May 2011). International Migration in Cuba. Penn State Press. ISBN   978-0271035390. Prominent among these clubs was the Centro Asturiano (Asturian Center), which was created in 1886 as an umbrella organization for immigrants from Asturias.
  17. ↑ "Havana: Centro Asturiano (Asturian Center), built in 1927, now part of Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana (Museum of Fine Arts)". Branson DeCou Digital Archive. Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  18. ↑ "Introduction & Statement of Purpose". Asturian-American Migration Forum. Archived from the original on 18 May 2008. These Asturian immigrants established an informal but lively network which connected Spain, Cuba, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, California, and other locations within the US.
  19. ↑ History of the Centro Asturiano de Tampa Building and Social Club
  20. ↑ FICA – Federación Internacional de Centros Asturianos
  21. ↑ Centro Asturiano de Nueva York
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