Why is Galician Culture different?
Although part of main land Spain, Galicia is situated in the top corner of the country with its borders facing open sea to the north and west, Portugal to the south and and a further Spanish district, “Asturias”, to the east. All told Galicia is fairly isolated in the Iberian Peninsula and this has led to an evolution of “everything cultural” being distinct and unique from the rest of Spain. These differences have been further compounded by the economic divergences of Galicia from greater Spain and more recently, in the last century, impositions being placed on the area restricting its cultural development. These restrictions were lifted following the death of General Franco, a son (but no friend) of Galicia. Although the Galicians certainly consider themselves to be Spanish, they have been viewed throughout history as the poorer cousins of the more prosperous south. Indeed they are often the “butt” of jokes in a similar way to the Irish with the English and the Belgians with the Frenc
