nPostednon October 12, 2014
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Onnthis date in 1492, the lookouts on a small sailing ship spotted land.nn
Onnthis date in 1492, the lookouts on a small sailing ship spotted land.nnn
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nAnd,nit turned out, they had “discovered” what was, for Europeans, anwhole New World – more than 16 million square miles (or 41 millionnsquare kilometers) of previously unknown and unsuspected land lyingnbetween Europe and the sought-after spices and riches of the Far Eastnand Eastern Indies.
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nYounprobably know that the captain of the fleet of three ships wasnChristopher Columbus, and that he was sailing for Spain. Because ofnthis momentous discovery, which had bajillions of consequences bothngood and bad, many countries celebrate October 12 (or, in modernntimes, the Monday closest to the twelfth),nand some people mourn the date! In the United States, the day isngenerally called ColumbusnDay;nand in much of Latin America, the day is called DiscoverynDay ornDiande la Raza.nThe day is also commemorated – sort of an anti-celebration – bynsome as thenNationalnDay of Mourning ornIndigenousnPeople’s Day.nn
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nI’venknown all that for years – decades, even.
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WhatnI didn’t know was that it was celebrated in Spain, too!
WhatnI didn’t know was that it was celebrated in Spain, too!n
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nSpanishncelebrations of the anniversary of Columbus’s discovery began inn1935. The day was called “Day of Hispanidad” (Dia de lanHispanidad), a day to honor the connection between Spain and thenworldwide Hispanic community.
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Inn1981, a royal decree established Dia de la Hispanidad as annational holiday.
Inn1981, a royal decree established Dia de la Hispanidad as annational holiday.n
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nInn1987, the name of the holiday was changed to Fiesta Nacional.nNow the day serves as the national day of Spain (along with Decembern6, Constitution Day), and it is accompanied by a military parade innMadrid that is presided over by Spain’s king and prime minister.n(Notice, however, that the name change de-emphasizes Spain’snconnection to the Hispanic community or Latin America.)
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| Military parade in Madrid |
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| Many, many people in Catalonia do not agree with this sign. |
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nHavingnjust been to Spain, and having read about the groups that identify asnSpanish (but instead as Basque or Catalan), I wondered if people werenvery patriotic, and if they REALLY celebrated Fiesta Nacional. Thenanswer, apparently, is no and no. There are no widespread parades ornpatriotic events. I didn’t even read about any fireworks. Spain hasnsome amazing holidays (like this one and this other one),nbut this apparently isn’t one of them.
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nAlsonon this date:
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Free Thought Day
Free Thought Day
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Birthdaynof claymation pioneer Art Clokey
Birthdaynof claymation pioneer Art Clokey n
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Anniversarynof the death of nurse and heroine Edith Cavell
Anniversarynof the death of nurse and heroine Edith Cavelln
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nPlannahead:
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nChecknout my Pinterest boards for:
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- Historicaln anniversaries in October
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nNovembern holidays
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nNovembern birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in November
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