Photo Essay: See you at the Sardana on Sunday

Spend some time in Barcelona and you will realise that while it might be in Spain, it is also proudly the capital of Catalonia, a region and culture that extends over the north-east of Spain into France. Catalonians have their own language, cuisine and traditions, and a long history of struggle against the various Spanish rulers in Madrid. Every Sunday at noon in the placa in front of the Catedral de Barcelona (the city’s main cathedral), locals of all ages gather to dance the Sardana. It is a symbol of Catalonian patriotism and unity, and goes back to at least the 16th century. Music is provided by the cobla, a band that includes oboes, a special flute, and a variety of brass instruments. The day we were there the band set up on the cathedral steps, onlookers gathered all around it, and the dancers linked hands to form circles in a slow, graceful dance. It looks easy, and anybody can join in, but we were told that a novice can easily throw the whole circle out of step.