In this blog you are to comment on one or more of the assigned articles in relation with any of the topics touched on in the lecture PDFs every week. Your posts should be brief (150 words or the equivalent to 1 paragraph) and, most importantly, a reflection of your preparation for class.
Sec 1C - Week 2
The Visigoths, the Muslim invasion, and the beginning of the Reconquest
The article this week that really interested me was the Bullfighting one. In lecture, Professor Torrecilla highlighted the importance of the toro as a symbol of strength and power in the Iberian peninsula through out history. This "elegant" creature appears in several aspects of society and is revered by the Iberian people. Even prehistoric art depicted these beasts as regal and powerful, like the Toros de Guisando. I find the Corrido de Toros tradition very intriguing; although I am not fond of the way the corrido ends (with the killing of the bull), I would love to one day attend an event, especially in Pamplona. When I was in Spain during July, the San Fermin festival was going on but I was in a different region. So when I go abroad to Spain this fall, I plan on seeing a bullfight. The Plazas de Toros are gorgeous from the outside, so I want to actually walk around inside one. This iconic tradition, as Prof Torrecilla emphasized, is a well-known characteristic of not only the people of Iberia, but also the culture and history of the region.
Am I Hispanic or Latino(a)? What’s the difference? IS there a difference? I’ve asked myself these questions when filling out paperwork for school, job applications, financial aid, insurance, etc. However, as Lopez(article) and as I presume many of us do, I just choose one or the other, depending on my mood, other times I don’t put anything at all. According to the article, Hispanic is often defined as “of or relating to Spain” This made sense, after learning in lecture that the Iberian Peninsula was called Hispania by the Romans. It is true then, that I could be considered Hispanic, since the Spanish conquered Latin America and I am probably a descendant of that mix. So am I not Latina? Certainly I must be, being born in Latin America. Am I both then? I don’t find a clear answer to this question, but I think if asked to choose, I would choose Latina, since that is where my immediate roots are.
In the past lectures and in the readings I learned that the Iberian peninsula is an attractive place for many people. A lot of people have established in the peninsula. Spain and Portugal have a lot of influence from the different groups of people that have conquered the territory. We can see this in the language, the different architecture throughout the territory and the religion. Like one of the articles said, i think the best for the peninsula is the convivencia between all these groups. They all need to learn that they all belong there and that they are different but have to learn to respect and live with each other peacefully. The influence of the different groups will always be there, different groups of people will continue to migrate to the peninsula so everyone just needs to learn to convivir with people that might have different backgrounds.
I especially liked the article this week on the banning of burkas and want to discuss it. Straight out, I want to say that the banning of burkas in Spain strikes me as a borderline offensive gesture. I think that the general opinion on burkas is that they are a symbol of patriarchy, masculine domination, the mistreatment and subordination of females, and gendered discrimination. As a woman myself, I definitely can see how the argument can be made that this piece of cloth essentially simultaneously symbolically and physically silences the female voice, opinion, and identity through the literal covering of the woman’s body and mouth. Clothing is just another form of “language”, or how people express themselves. The burka covering the mouth and clothing forbids all expression. Now all this being said, I have to say that I am ultimately against this ban and find it to be offensive. Why? Because the burka is a religious tradition. Though I am personally not religious myself, I think that religion and spirituality have an important place in history and the lives of many people, dead and alive. To have the government intrude upon a practice associated with religion seems that it is overstepping bounds. If women wear the burka because it is imposed by their religion, then so be it. The burka comes from middle eastern religion, which is very different from the western mindframe of self-expression, individuality and identity. I don’t think the government has any right or place to be saying what religion can or cannot allow. After all, I believe a cardinal rule of good government is to keep state and religion separate! If that is what their religion does, then let them be. No matter what the religious practice is, as long as it does not pose a serious, very real threat to one’s own safety or that of another, then it must be allowed. (ie. Human sacrifice is a religious practice that should be banned because it places lives in danger.) Wearing a burka may silence someone, or appear oppressive but it is not killing or harming anyone and it is at the end of the day, a religious practice like lighting the menorah or consuming the holy blood (aka wine) of Christ. I think the mayor is being foolish to mix politics with religion. Does he wear a burka himself? Does he know what its like? Does he know what it represents or what kind of importance it has in middle eastern religion? Does he know their God? I assume the answer is no to all those questions. Just because you don’t agree with a practice does not mean it is wrong. I am very scared for the people living in Spain, especially since the last sentence of the article hints at future religious bans. This seems very totalitarian of the government under a false image of “doing good.” It seems contradictory but perhaps one might consider that the silencing of personal expression is actually a form of personal expression for the burka wearing, or burka believing religious folk….And government should never ban personal expression…. I am nervous about this whole thing. Seems like it could escalate quickly. The reasoning is very faulty. What’s next, banning the menorah because it symbolizes Jewish oppression?
In lecture, the Visigoths were known to cause chaos for the Iberian Peninsula, but they posed a great significance because they had given them the ability to be a unified and independent state. The term legacy kept being brought up and I think they left a great legacy behind. For example, in the article “Gonzales,” that’s a surname from the Visigoths and that is such a common last name in California. In lecture, the Visigoths were trying to be the new Romans because they felt as if their culture were superior and preserved the legacy of Rome, but little did they know, they left a pretty great legacy as well although they may have felt insignificant because of the Romans legacy before them.
As discussed on Monday's Lecture, the Roman Empire was invaded by the Visigoths from Germany. The Visigoths created a lasting Germanic Kingdom in Spain. What I find interesting in this situation was that instead of the Visigoths introducing their culture to the Spaniards, they adapted to the group that they invaded, the Romans. The visigoths as mentioned in lecture, adapted to the Roman culture and used their language, used their coins, lived in roman cities and more. Furthermore, this shows how the role of invading allows for any Culture to be introduced and adapted by outsiders. In the article, “ Arabic Influence on language”, we see how the invasion of the Arabic-speaking Moors had a heavy influence on the Spanish language. The Arabs brought their culture to Spain, specifically their language, where the Spanish adapted to their culture by using Spanish that includes Arabic words. Therefore, as present day today we can see how the Arabs are the biggest contributor to the Spanish language.
In this week's reading, we covered the Visigothic period and the Muslim invasion and the beginning of re-conquest. Throughout the readings we can see the common behavior that the conquerors of the Iberian Peninsula took in order to influence Spain to what it is nowadays. Not only did the mosques from the Muslim invasion, but the Gothic churches, although minimal in respect to the entire Spain's land, are still holding up pretty well. The Roman's influence in society to this day is also fascinating! Latin founded the Spanish language and the architecture is still used in many parts of Spain, like bridges and aqueducts, to name a few. All in all, Spain was shaped by many cultures and religions, but the ones that still stick to this day were the ones that conquered the lives of the Iberians, Jews, Muslims, Romans and Christians, which makes Spain so rich in culture.
The first article about the Visigothic surnames was interesting in that it related to the "hidden" or oftentimes "overlooked" impact of these people. In the Iberian Peninsula, there was a profound and largely important consequence of Visigothic rule. Although not many physical landmarks or reminders remain to this day, the unification of the populace, under Christianity, is one of the foundational elements upon which modern Spanish national conscience is built. Just as the overarching importance of the Visigoths is masked by the physical reminders of a Roman era, the Visigothic origins of Gonzales (and such similar surnames) are overshadowed by their seemingly Latin roots. This occurrence epitomizes the overall presence of Visigoths in Hispania, as their important contributions are not readily known or celebrated.
Another article which interested me was the banning of the burqa in Lleida, as it seems to stem from the historical strife between the religious groups in the Iberian Peninsula. The Christians/Catholics and Muslims have historically been divided and so even in modern times, there is evidence that the differences may be incapable of becoming overcome. Although the article claims that the ban is for the rights of women, as the burqa is "discriminatory", their may be some religious undertones to the political move as well.
Blog Post: No. 1 Though I was deeply fascinated by many of the topics covered in the readings and in lecture this week, I was particularly interested in the Visigoths and their legacy. Although their influence was by no means as great as the Roman’s, for the first time in Iberian history, the Visigoths were able to unify Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula) and make it an independent kingdom. While the creation of a Spanish nation was the Visigoths’ most notable achievement, they also left behind a lasting influence on the language and Iberian surnames. Specifically, violent words such as guerra and robar meaning ‘war’ and ‘to rob/steal’, respectively, can be traced back to the Visigoths. Furthermore, many Iberian surnames such as ‘Gonzalez’ etc., which are generally assumed to be Spanish in origin, are often Germanic. For example, since the Visigoths from East Germany ruled during an era or violence, chaos, and instability, it is fitting that ‘Gonzalez’ stems from the name 'Gundisalvus', which roughly translates as ‘the battle field’. It shocked me to realize that a name that I had previously associated with Latin America and Spain was actually Germanic. Though the Visigoths may not have had a significant influence on architecture or culture, their legacy lives on today in simple words and names.
From class lecture I was left with the impression that the legacy of the Visigoths, a Germanic tribe, was the building of a national sense in Spain but, after reading the article of the Gonzalez surname I realized their small legacy is more than that and is closer to me than it appears. Gonzalez is a very typical last name that I nowadays see everywhere. However, to me it always seemed that it came from Spain when in reality has a Germanic origin that translates to “the battle field or battle place.” From the class power point slides I learned that the Visigoths were really violent Germans since they fought with the Romans and invaded Hispania. Curiously, their actions directly match with the Gonzalez translation and stay within the context of clashes. The article that I also found interesting was the one about Spanish’s Arab Connection. I was really surprised to read about how Arabic is probably the largest contributor to the Spanish language. I always thought most of the etymology of Spanish words was Latin since Latin is mostly the origin of all languages spoken in the Iberian Peninsula but, I was very wrong. Nevertheless, at the same time I find it exciting I sort-of speak “Arabic” words.
On Wednesday the topic of the Muslim invasion was really interesting. The fact that the Muslims were able to conquer the Iberian Peninsula and have control over it for about one hundred years was fascinating. One of the things I found interesting was that the Muslims were very accepting of other religions, which I think helped them retain popularity. The article I wanted to relate to this lecture was the “Spanish city bans face-covering Islamic veils in public buildings”. First I though it was surprising to see that there were so little amount of Muslims in Spain, but that would make sense since they are no longer in control. However, the fact that there are still some is pretty amazing. The article was about how Lleida was banning the use of face-covering Islamic veils. I found it very interesting how they were so proud of banning them because they were discriminatory against women. However, those veils are part of the religion so I was a little confused as to why they would ban them. Its sort of ironic how the Muslims were accepting of other religions but it doesn’t seem to be the case today.
This week's lecture and readings were particularly interesting as it began to formulate and idealize what is to become Spanish/Iberian culture. For years, my opinion was similar to many of my peers that the Spanish came and conquered the Americas. But really what is Spanish? In the lectures, one can see that Iberian culture is a clash of Germanic, Islamic and Christian culture. In week Wednesday's lecture, the powerpoint slide indicates that Muslim influence is refuted and not recognized as Spanish culture and identity. But it complicates things such as surnames and words that were influenced by Arabic language. Words like "aceite" and "atun" are few of the words that have influenced, along with Latin, and created what the Spanish language is as mentioned in "Arabic Words in Spanish". In addition, as we studied the rule of the Visigoths and their influence over Spain. It is clear to note in the surname of Gonzalez that the name holds heritage in the Germanic Visigothic history. The name Gonzalez, as mentioned in Surname Database: Gonzalez, which has undergone many transformations has dated back to the name "Gundisalvus" which is a German baptisal name. Findings like these, have made me re-examine what the Spanish conquest means to the Americas and thus have made me reconsider what culture means as it is a revolutionary and transforming idelogy that either negates or engulfs what identifies that particular culture. This only makes more intrigued into this "culture" and thus more excited to explore these famous locations when I visit Spain this summer.
The article “Spanish city bans face-covering Islamic veils in public buildings” really interests me after learning about the Muslim invasion in lecture today. Before reading this article and going to lecture today, I would have never guessed that there are and were Muslims in Spain. This article states that there are currently 1 million Muslims in Spain, out of a total of 45 million in the population. I think this directly shows the effects of the Muslim invasion. Although only a small relative percent of people are Muslim, they are still a significant part of the country since a law is trying to be passed about them. I don’t think many people know or would think that there are Muslims. I think Professor Torecilla’s emphasis on Muslim being a religion and not an ethnicity is a good explanation for this. My opinion of the attempt to ban the veils is that it is a violation of rights. Although the article states that it is to stop the discrimination of women, I believe it is actually being discriminatory against Muslims. It is a person’s choice to be Muslim, and therefore a choice to wear the veil. I am very interested in seeing what ends up happening in later legislation.
During lecture today, we learned that the legacy of the Arabian Culture in the Iberian Culture applies to its development of the Spanish language. The Muslim invasion/rule over the Iberian Peninsula was for about 300 years, from 711 to 1031. During this time, there was a lot of resistance from the Iberians to the Muslims due to the different language, culture, and religion. The Iberians spoke Latin and were Christian while the invaders spoke Arabic and were Muslim. The Muslim people, which contained Arabs as well as other ethnicities, in fact did not consider the Iberian Peninsula Hispania but instead called it Al-Andalus. The name, beginning with “al-“ is evidence for the many Spanish and English words we use today. Words like “algebra”, “Allah”, and “alchemy” are only a few examples of the words originated from the Arabian language. It is really interesting to learn how culture, religion, and language can be affected with the mix (voluntary or not) of two different groups of people. In this case, the Muslim invasion was not welcomed, however during their rule it was inevitable for cultures to converge and help create the languages we know today.
As we learned in lecture, the Muslin Invasion of the Iberian Peninsula in 711 brought an end to the Visigothic Period, where Germanic invasions of Spain occurred. As a result of a division among the Visigoths due to a lack of support from most of the population (e.g., no toleration for other religions and rampant civil wars), Muslims began to take over the Iberian Peninsula. Before long, the Muslim Conquest brought many consequences and the Christian Reconquest began. In conjunction to the readings for this week, it is imperative to take heed about certain political and religious conditions in Spain today. Since there have been very many recent Muslim converts in Spain, I found it particularly fascinating how non-Muslim Spaniards react to these conversions. In "Spain's New Muslims," we are exposed to the fact that many Christian Spaniards' like Rosa Maria Rodriguez Magda, a member of the Valencia Council for Culture, blame converts for trying to seek rights that contradict democratic values, and similarly, feel that the converts represent an "effective means of spreading extremist ideas." As illustrated in the article regarding religious attire (body-covering burqas and face-covering niqabs), it is interesting to note that many Spanish cities, such as Lledia and Barcelona, have already began to implement city restrictions banning the usage of such veils in public buildings. Since there are opposing views and tension between non-Muslim Spaniards, New converts, and Old-Muslims, it is worthy to question whether religious tension will escalate resulting in persecution and division. Moreover, while some Spaniards have expressed support towards such restrictions, I ultimately think that this may lead to an increase in socio-political and religious tensions in Spain. By banning such attire, I feel that this fundamentally tempers with the religious rights of Spaniards. Undoubtedly, tensions like these allow us to question the current condition of the country, as contradicting religious and political views can escalate to oppression as witnessed in the past.
The reading on Spanish words and the influence from the Arabic language and the article on the New Muslims interested me the most this week. During my trip to Spain for travel study I stayed in the southern part of Spain, especially in Barcelona and Granada, and in Granada the Muslim influenced can be seen in the culture and the religion. However I never thought that the Spanish language had so much influence from Arabic. After hearing the professor talk about the Muslim invasion and the Reconquista, y now makes sense that so much of the Muslim influence can still be seen in cities such as Cordoba and Granada. He mentioned that the Muslims had their capital in Cordoba and when they were driven out of Iberia some still stayed in the southeast part of Spain. After the lecture it now make sense as to why the New Muslims would start out in Granada and then eventually spread out toward other part of the country. During my trip I also visited the Mosque at Cordoba, and I have to say that it is a very beautiful building on which you can see the very two different styles that make it up. I feel that it would only be fair to allow both Christians and Muslims to practice their religions there, just as the building exists with the two architectural styles!
The readings for this week focused on a new identity in today's society: Spanish converted Muslims. These converts are referred to as the New Muslims and even though they are a small minority in Spain, they possess strong political and cultural power because of their leadership in this "New Muslim" movement. The first thing that popped into my head while reading the article "Spain's New Muslims" was how is their relationship with the traditional Muslim community, particularly because a majority of the Muslim community lives in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Sure enough, their relationship is pretty much flat and weak. By flat and weak, I mean that both groups acknowledge their work and faith in the Islamic religion but they do not really collaborate together because of their differences on what defines the Muslim culture. The new Muslims believe in peace, women's rights, and a liberal approach toward social values whereas the traditional Muslims don't agree with these stances and moreover, they feel like the new Muslims lack the credibility to make these types of decisions on behalf of the entire Muslim faith. Kamal Mekhelef, the secretary of the Cordoba Muslim Association denounced the Catalan Junta Islamica's fatwa on Osama Bin Laden because they [the New Muslims] do not have "a great deal of education and preparation" to make these type of actions. I believe that the New Muslim is headed toward a positive direction with their liberal and peaceful attitude but they still require a lot of time and effort to be considered true members of the Islamic faith.
The article that I found to be most intriguing is the one about the Spanish city that is attempting to ban the burka. More than anything I believe that if such a bill was proposed in the United States that an uproar would result, because as Americans we believe that the first amendment guarantees the right to free speech and the freedom to exercise religion. However, I am surprised that the bill passed considering there is no harm to others by allowing women of the Islamic faith to wear burkas. As Professor Torrecilla had mentioned in lecture, the Muslims provided a lot to the Iberian peninsula in terms of their culture, language, and religion. Even though there are so few Muslims in Spain currently, the fact that they were and are currently exposed to multiple religions and viewpoints should mean that they have a greater tolerance for religious faiths.
These articles this week were very interesting. It was cool to see how all of the Iberian invasions we learned about in lecture (Roman, Visigoth and Muslim) had huge influences on the culture and way Iberia is today. The first article was surprising because before reading the article, I would have guessed that the name "Gonzales" is Mexican or maybe from South America. I was surprised to find out that it is of Germanic origin, from when the Visigoths invaded Iberia. Even though in lecture, we discussed that the Visigoths were hesitant to use their own cultural identities in Spain and conformed more to Roman culture, there still is evidence of their ancient influence. The article on the Arabic influence on Spanish language was particularly interesting to me because my grandfather is from Palestine, so I am Arabic and I have heard a bit of the language. There are so many parallels between the Arabic language and Spanish, and also Arabic and English. It amazing how much of what we take for granted as "Spanish" culture actually came from the influences of civilizations before. The article on the Lleida's ban on Muslim burqas seemed to be the most controversial. I personally support the ban because I think that burqas are very discriminatory toward women, but that is my own personal beliefs. Had I been raised in Spain or in a Muslim family, I probably would not feel the same way. It is also surprising that a law like this would pass because Iberia has such deep Muslim roots. Finally, I liked the last article because it referred to Al-Andalus that we learned about in lecture, and it is amazing how much of Iberian architecture is modeled after the Muslim and Moorish styles that were introduced so long ago. All in all, these articles were very informative and interesting because they relate to everything we are learning about.
A country finding it’s own identity derives from many circumstances of it’s history. The Visigoths attempt to unify the Iberian Peninsula was something that remains a legacy worth commending by he fact that they upheld standards and engaged a community to put in work to bring about a new nation,. As mentioned in lecture, this was Spain’s first attempt to a unified and independent state derived from the legacy of the Visigoths to Spanish history. However, the stereotypes of Imperial Spain came to be credible with the amount of unrest and violence that the occurred during a brief period of time (624-711) in the Visigoth kingdom. The idea of a new nation brings about many implications. For instance, surnames come about to identify a family, then become an ideal way of recognizing families and following their trajectory. Through the development of these names, different variations are created. It is interesting to see that the way things such as surnames vary because of regions and languages. As one family or head of a household migrates, the name is taken to these new places. Furthermore, languages comprise an extremely important part of culture and just like surnames vary with the movement of people. The language that is spoken in a region also becomes a mesh of the history of that place. For example, the Moor invasion in Spain during the eight century brings about the Arabic influence to the Spanish language and many words that are common in the Spanish language are derived from Arabic roots. Therefore, Spain is a clear example of the rich history that brings about nation’s identity.
I was surprised to find how much the Visigoth and Muslim cultures have influenced the Spanish language. It’s interesting because I feel no personal connection with these cultures—especially after we learned that there are few remains of Visigoth rule in Spain, which made it seem like their time is lost in history—and yet they live with me in the language I speak. But I was also surprised at the fact that the Muslim invasion is seen as a “loss of Spain,” and I feel like this attitude (along with the more recent prejudice against Muslims) is part of the reason for the attempt to ban burkas in Lleida. The article “Spain’s New Muslims” made a few references to the problems that Muslims encounter in Spain, but the burka ban makes me think that there might not be a lot of acceptance of Islam in the country.
Two of this week’s readings were particularly interesting to me. The article about the outside influence of the Visgoth culture and the variations of the last names as a result of expansion and time made me think about my own last name and the last names in my family. Putting this into thought, I discovered that it was a possibility for my family to be evidence of these transformations. After doing my own investigation I discovered that the my mother’s last name Garay is a last name particularly associated with the modern Spanish Language but is of Hungarian origin meaning that it must have traveled from the east during a Germanic migration. A last name closely associated with Garay is Guray which seems to be a variation of the original. I also discovered that this version of the last name is used in other regions of the world like the Philippines which was once under the possession of the Spanish kingdom making it possible for this last name to have been transformed after it traveled. The second article was the Walrus Journal on the topic of the New Muslims. It was very interesting to find out that the idea of “new” and “old” still continues to linger in main stream Spanish society as an issue in the religious context but it seems to have now switched from “new Christians” and “old Christians” in 15th century Spain to “new Muslims” and “old Muslims”. Although there were Christian-to-Muslim converts throughout the history of Spain like Professor Torrecilla mentioned in lecture, it was not given the importance that converts to Christianity were given and their supposed threat to Spanish-Christian Society. I think that New Muslims are now being attributed this importance because modern Muslim converts have shown to practice a more liberal and politically involved version of the religion that seems to threat the established harmony of traditional Muslims in Spain.
The article this week that really interested me was the Bullfighting one. In lecture, Professor Torrecilla highlighted the importance of the toro as a symbol of strength and power in the Iberian peninsula through out history. This "elegant" creature appears in several aspects of society and is revered by the Iberian people. Even prehistoric art depicted these beasts as regal and powerful, like the Toros de Guisando. I find the Corrido de Toros tradition very intriguing; although I am not fond of the way the corrido ends (with the killing of the bull), I would love to one day attend an event, especially in Pamplona. When I was in Spain during July, the San Fermin festival was going on but I was in a different region. So when I go abroad to Spain this fall, I plan on seeing a bullfight. The Plazas de Toros are gorgeous from the outside, so I want to actually walk around inside one. This iconic tradition, as Prof Torrecilla emphasized, is a well-known characteristic of not only the people of Iberia, but also the culture and history of the region.
ReplyDeleteAm I Hispanic or Latino(a)? What’s the difference? IS there a difference? I’ve asked myself these questions when filling out paperwork for school, job applications, financial aid, insurance, etc. However, as Lopez(article) and as I presume many of us do, I just choose one or the other, depending on my mood, other times I don’t put anything at all. According to the article, Hispanic is often defined as “of or relating to Spain” This made sense, after learning in lecture that the Iberian Peninsula was called Hispania by the Romans. It is true then, that I could be considered Hispanic, since the Spanish conquered Latin America and I am probably a descendant of that mix. So am I not Latina? Certainly I must be, being born in Latin America. Am I both then? I don’t find a clear answer to this question, but I think if asked to choose, I would choose Latina, since that is where my immediate roots are.
ReplyDeleteIn the past lectures and in the readings I learned that the Iberian peninsula is an attractive place for many people. A lot of people have established in the peninsula. Spain and Portugal have a lot of influence from the different groups of people that have conquered the territory. We can see this in the language, the different architecture throughout the territory and the religion. Like one of the articles said, i think the best for the peninsula is the convivencia between all these groups. They all need to learn that they all belong there and that they are different but have to learn to respect and live with each other peacefully. The influence of the different groups will always be there, different groups of people will continue to migrate to the peninsula so everyone just needs to learn to convivir with people that might have different backgrounds.
ReplyDeleteI especially liked the article this week on the banning of burkas and want to discuss it. Straight out, I want to say that the banning of burkas in Spain strikes me as a borderline offensive gesture. I think that the general opinion on burkas is that they are a symbol of patriarchy, masculine domination, the mistreatment and subordination of females, and gendered discrimination. As a woman myself, I definitely can see how the argument can be made that this piece of cloth essentially simultaneously symbolically and physically silences the female voice, opinion, and identity through the literal covering of the woman’s body and mouth. Clothing is just another form of “language”, or how people express themselves. The burka covering the mouth and clothing forbids all expression. Now all this being said, I have to say that I am ultimately against this ban and find it to be offensive. Why? Because the burka is a religious tradition. Though I am personally not religious myself, I think that religion and spirituality have an important place in history and the lives of many people, dead and alive. To have the government intrude upon a practice associated with religion seems that it is overstepping bounds. If women wear the burka because it is imposed by their religion, then so be it. The burka comes from middle eastern religion, which is very different from the western mindframe of self-expression, individuality and identity. I don’t think the government has any right or place to be saying what religion can or cannot allow. After all, I believe a cardinal rule of good government is to keep state and religion separate! If that is what their religion does, then let them be. No matter what the religious practice is, as long as it does not pose a serious, very real threat to one’s own safety or that of another, then it must be allowed. (ie. Human sacrifice is a religious practice that should be banned because it places lives in danger.) Wearing a burka may silence someone, or appear oppressive but it is not killing or harming anyone and it is at the end of the day, a religious practice like lighting the menorah or consuming the holy blood (aka wine) of Christ. I think the mayor is being foolish to mix politics with religion. Does he wear a burka himself? Does he know what its like? Does he know what it represents or what kind of importance it has in middle eastern religion? Does he know their God? I assume the answer is no to all those questions. Just because you don’t agree with a practice does not mean it is wrong. I am very scared for the people living in Spain, especially since the last sentence of the article hints at future religious bans. This seems very totalitarian of the government under a false image of “doing good.” It seems contradictory but perhaps one might consider that the silencing of personal expression is actually a form of personal expression for the burka wearing, or burka believing religious folk….And government should never ban personal expression…. I am nervous about this whole thing. Seems like it could escalate quickly. The reasoning is very faulty. What’s next, banning the menorah because it symbolizes Jewish oppression?
ReplyDeleteJia Pamela Guo
In lecture, the Visigoths were known to cause chaos for the Iberian Peninsula, but they posed a great significance because they had given them the ability to be a unified and independent state. The term legacy kept being brought up and I think they left a great legacy behind. For example, in the article “Gonzales,” that’s a surname from the Visigoths and that is such a common last name in California. In lecture, the Visigoths were trying to be the new Romans because they felt as if their culture were superior and preserved the legacy of Rome, but little did they know, they left a pretty great legacy as well although they may have felt insignificant because of the Romans legacy before them.
ReplyDeleteAs discussed on Monday's Lecture, the Roman Empire was invaded by the Visigoths from Germany. The Visigoths created a lasting Germanic Kingdom in Spain. What I find interesting in this situation was that instead of the Visigoths introducing their culture to the Spaniards, they adapted to the group that they invaded, the Romans. The visigoths as mentioned in lecture, adapted to the Roman culture and used their language, used their coins, lived in roman cities and more. Furthermore, this shows how the role of invading allows for any Culture to be introduced and adapted by outsiders. In the article, “ Arabic Influence on language”, we see how the invasion of the Arabic-speaking Moors had a heavy influence on the Spanish language. The Arabs brought their culture to Spain, specifically their language, where the Spanish adapted to their culture by using Spanish that includes Arabic words. Therefore, as present day today we can see how the Arabs are the biggest contributor to the Spanish language.
ReplyDeleteIn this week's reading, we covered the Visigothic period and the Muslim invasion and the beginning of re-conquest. Throughout the readings we can see the common behavior that the conquerors of the Iberian Peninsula took in order to influence Spain to what it is nowadays. Not only did the mosques from the Muslim invasion, but the Gothic churches, although minimal in respect to the entire Spain's land, are still holding up pretty well. The Roman's influence in society to this day is also fascinating! Latin founded the Spanish language and the architecture is still used in many parts of Spain, like bridges and aqueducts, to name a few. All in all, Spain was shaped by many cultures and religions, but the ones that still stick to this day were the ones that conquered the lives of the Iberians, Jews, Muslims, Romans and Christians, which makes Spain so rich in culture.
ReplyDeleteThe first article about the Visigothic surnames was interesting in that it related to the "hidden" or oftentimes "overlooked" impact of these people. In the Iberian Peninsula, there was a profound and largely important consequence of Visigothic rule. Although not many physical landmarks or reminders remain to this day, the unification of the populace, under Christianity, is one of the foundational elements upon which modern Spanish national conscience is built. Just as the overarching importance of the Visigoths is masked by the physical reminders of a Roman era, the Visigothic origins of Gonzales (and such similar surnames) are overshadowed by their seemingly Latin roots. This occurrence epitomizes the overall presence of Visigoths in Hispania, as their important contributions are not readily known or celebrated.
ReplyDeleteAnother article which interested me was the banning of the burqa in Lleida, as it seems to stem from the historical strife between the religious groups in the Iberian Peninsula. The Christians/Catholics and Muslims have historically been divided and so even in modern times, there is evidence that the differences may be incapable of becoming overcome. Although the article claims that the ban is for the rights of women, as the burqa is "discriminatory", their may be some religious undertones to the political move as well.
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ReplyDeleteThough I was deeply fascinated by many of the topics covered in the readings and in lecture this week, I was particularly interested in the Visigoths and their legacy. Although their influence was by no means as great as the Roman’s, for the first time in Iberian history, the Visigoths were able to unify Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula) and make it an independent kingdom. While the creation of a Spanish nation was the Visigoths’ most notable achievement, they also left behind a lasting influence on the language and Iberian surnames. Specifically, violent words such as guerra and robar meaning ‘war’ and ‘to rob/steal’, respectively, can be traced back to the Visigoths. Furthermore, many Iberian surnames such as ‘Gonzalez’ etc., which are generally assumed to be Spanish in origin, are often Germanic. For example, since the Visigoths from East Germany ruled during an era or violence, chaos, and instability, it is fitting that ‘Gonzalez’ stems from the name 'Gundisalvus', which roughly translates as ‘the battle field’. It shocked me to realize that a name that I had previously associated with Latin America and Spain was actually Germanic. Though the Visigoths may not have had a significant influence on architecture or culture, their legacy lives on today in simple words and names.
From class lecture I was left with the impression that the legacy of the Visigoths, a Germanic tribe, was the building of a national sense in Spain but, after reading the article of the Gonzalez surname I realized their small legacy is more than that and is closer to me than it appears. Gonzalez is a very typical last name that I nowadays see everywhere. However, to me it always seemed that it came from Spain when in reality has a Germanic origin that translates to “the battle field or battle place.” From the class power point slides I learned that the Visigoths were really violent Germans since they fought with the Romans and invaded Hispania. Curiously, their actions directly match with the Gonzalez translation and stay within the context of clashes. The article that I also found interesting was the one about Spanish’s Arab Connection. I was really surprised to read about how Arabic is probably the largest contributor to the Spanish language. I always thought most of the etymology of Spanish words was Latin since Latin is mostly the origin of all languages spoken in the Iberian Peninsula but, I was very wrong. Nevertheless, at the same time I find it exciting I sort-of speak “Arabic” words.
ReplyDeleteSonia Garcia
ReplyDeleteJanuary 16, 2013
Spanish 42 Section 1C Blog Post
On Wednesday the topic of the Muslim invasion was really interesting. The fact that the Muslims were able to conquer the Iberian Peninsula and have control over it for about one hundred years was fascinating. One of the things I found interesting was that the Muslims were very accepting of other religions, which I think helped them retain popularity. The article I wanted to relate to this lecture was the “Spanish city bans face-covering Islamic veils in public buildings”. First I though it was surprising to see that there were so little amount of Muslims in Spain, but that would make sense since they are no longer in control. However, the fact that there are still some is pretty amazing. The article was about how Lleida was banning the use of face-covering Islamic veils. I found it very interesting how they were so proud of banning them because they were discriminatory against women. However, those veils are part of the religion so I was a little confused as to why they would ban them. Its sort of ironic how the Muslims were accepting of other religions but it doesn’t seem to be the case today.
This week's lecture and readings were particularly interesting as it began to formulate and idealize what is to become Spanish/Iberian culture. For years, my opinion was similar to many of my peers that the Spanish came and conquered the Americas. But really what is Spanish? In the lectures, one can see that Iberian culture is a clash of Germanic, Islamic and Christian culture. In week Wednesday's lecture, the powerpoint slide indicates that Muslim influence is refuted and not recognized as Spanish culture and identity. But it complicates things such as surnames and words that were influenced by Arabic language. Words like "aceite" and "atun" are few of the words that have influenced, along with Latin, and created what the Spanish language is as mentioned in "Arabic Words in Spanish". In addition, as we studied the rule of the Visigoths and their influence over Spain. It is clear to note in the surname of Gonzalez that the name holds heritage in the Germanic Visigothic history. The name Gonzalez, as mentioned in Surname Database: Gonzalez, which has undergone many transformations has dated back to the name "Gundisalvus" which is a German baptisal name. Findings like these, have made me re-examine what the Spanish conquest means to the Americas and thus have made me reconsider what culture means as it is a revolutionary and transforming idelogy that either negates or engulfs what identifies that particular culture. This only makes more intrigued into this "culture" and thus more excited to explore these famous locations when I visit Spain this summer.
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Jessica Valdez
ReplyDeleteThe article “Spanish city bans face-covering Islamic veils in public buildings” really interests me after learning about the Muslim invasion in lecture today. Before reading this article and going to lecture today, I would have never guessed that there are and were Muslims in Spain. This article states that there are currently 1 million Muslims in Spain, out of a total of 45 million in the population. I think this directly shows the effects of the Muslim invasion. Although only a small relative percent of people are Muslim, they are still a significant part of the country since a law is trying to be passed about them. I don’t think many people know or would think that there are Muslims. I think Professor Torecilla’s emphasis on Muslim being a religion and not an ethnicity is a good explanation for this. My opinion of the attempt to ban the veils is that it is a violation of rights. Although the article states that it is to stop the discrimination of women, I believe it is actually being discriminatory against Muslims. It is a person’s choice to be Muslim, and therefore a choice to wear the veil. I am very interested in seeing what ends up happening in later legislation.
During lecture today, we learned that the legacy of the Arabian Culture in the Iberian Culture applies to its development of the Spanish language. The Muslim invasion/rule over the Iberian Peninsula was for about 300 years, from 711 to 1031. During this time, there was a lot of resistance from the Iberians to the Muslims due to the different language, culture, and religion. The Iberians spoke Latin and were Christian while the invaders spoke Arabic and were Muslim. The Muslim people, which contained Arabs as well as other ethnicities, in fact did not consider the Iberian Peninsula Hispania but instead called it Al-Andalus. The name, beginning with “al-“ is evidence for the many Spanish and English words we use today. Words like “algebra”, “Allah”, and “alchemy” are only a few examples of the words originated from the Arabian language. It is really interesting to learn how culture, religion, and language can be affected with the mix (voluntary or not) of two different groups of people. In this case, the Muslim invasion was not welcomed, however during their rule it was inevitable for cultures to converge and help create the languages we know today.
ReplyDeleteSpanish 42/ Discussion 1C Post
ReplyDeleteAs we learned in lecture, the Muslin Invasion of the Iberian Peninsula in 711 brought an end to the Visigothic Period, where Germanic invasions of Spain occurred. As a result of a division among the Visigoths due to a lack of support from most of the population (e.g., no toleration for other religions and rampant civil wars), Muslims began to take over the Iberian Peninsula. Before long, the Muslim Conquest brought many consequences and the Christian Reconquest began. In conjunction to the readings for this week, it is imperative to take heed about certain political and religious conditions in Spain today. Since there have been very many recent Muslim converts in Spain, I found it particularly fascinating how non-Muslim Spaniards react to these conversions. In "Spain's New Muslims," we are exposed to the fact that many Christian Spaniards' like Rosa Maria Rodriguez Magda, a member of the Valencia Council for Culture, blame converts for trying to seek rights that contradict democratic values, and similarly, feel that the converts represent an "effective means of spreading extremist ideas." As illustrated in the article regarding religious attire (body-covering burqas and face-covering niqabs), it is interesting to note that many Spanish cities, such as Lledia and Barcelona, have already began to implement city restrictions banning the usage of such veils in public buildings. Since there are opposing views and tension between non-Muslim Spaniards, New converts, and Old-Muslims, it is worthy to question whether religious tension will escalate resulting in persecution and division. Moreover, while some Spaniards have expressed support towards such restrictions, I ultimately think that this may lead to an increase in socio-political and religious tensions in Spain. By banning such attire, I feel that this fundamentally tempers with the religious rights of Spaniards. Undoubtedly, tensions like these allow us to question the current condition of the country, as contradicting religious and political views can escalate to oppression as witnessed in the past.
Jose Alberto Rojas
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Cynthia Hernandez
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The reading on Spanish words and the influence from the Arabic language and the article on the New Muslims interested me the most this week. During my trip to Spain for travel study I stayed in the southern part of Spain, especially in Barcelona and Granada, and in Granada the Muslim influenced can be seen in the culture and the religion. However I never thought that the Spanish language had so much influence from Arabic. After hearing the professor talk about the Muslim invasion and the Reconquista, y now makes sense that so much of the Muslim influence can still be seen in cities such as Cordoba and Granada. He mentioned that the Muslims had their capital in Cordoba and when they were driven out of Iberia some still stayed in the southeast part of Spain. After the lecture it now make sense as to why the New Muslims would start out in Granada and then eventually spread out toward other part of the country. During my trip I also visited the Mosque at Cordoba, and I have to say that it is a very beautiful building on which you can see the very two different styles that make it up. I feel that it would only be fair to allow both Christians and Muslims to practice their religions there, just as the building exists with the two architectural styles!
The readings for this week focused on a new identity in today's society: Spanish converted Muslims. These converts are referred to as the New Muslims and even though they are a small minority in Spain, they possess strong political and cultural power because of their leadership in this "New Muslim" movement. The first thing that popped into my head while reading the article "Spain's New Muslims" was how is their relationship with the traditional Muslim community, particularly because a majority of the Muslim community lives in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Sure enough, their relationship is pretty much flat and weak. By flat and weak, I mean that both groups acknowledge their work and faith in the Islamic religion but they do not really collaborate together because of their differences on what defines the Muslim culture. The new Muslims believe in peace, women's rights, and a liberal approach toward social values whereas the traditional Muslims don't agree with these stances and moreover, they feel like the new Muslims lack the credibility to make these types of decisions on behalf of the entire Muslim faith. Kamal Mekhelef, the secretary of the Cordoba Muslim Association denounced the Catalan Junta Islamica's fatwa on Osama Bin Laden because they [the New Muslims] do not have "a great deal of education and preparation" to make these type of actions. I believe that the New Muslim is headed toward a positive direction with their liberal and peaceful attitude but they still require a lot of time and effort to be considered true members of the Islamic faith.
ReplyDeleteThe article that I found to be most intriguing is the one about the Spanish city that is attempting to ban the burka. More than anything I believe that if such a bill was proposed in the United States that an uproar would result, because as Americans we believe that the first amendment guarantees the right to free speech and the freedom to exercise religion. However, I am surprised that the bill passed considering there is no harm to others by allowing women of the Islamic faith to wear burkas. As Professor Torrecilla had mentioned in lecture, the Muslims provided a lot to the Iberian peninsula in terms of their culture, language, and religion. Even though there are so few Muslims in Spain currently, the fact that they were and are currently exposed to multiple religions and viewpoints should mean that they have a greater tolerance for religious faiths.
ReplyDeleteJulie Therien
ReplyDeleteThese articles this week were very interesting. It was cool to see how all of the Iberian invasions we learned about in lecture (Roman, Visigoth and Muslim) had huge influences on the culture and way Iberia is today. The first article was surprising because before reading the article, I would have guessed that the name "Gonzales" is Mexican or maybe from South America. I was surprised to find out that it is of Germanic origin, from when the Visigoths invaded Iberia. Even though in lecture, we discussed that the Visigoths were hesitant to use their own cultural identities in Spain and conformed more to Roman culture, there still is evidence of their ancient influence. The article on the Arabic influence on Spanish language was particularly interesting to me because my grandfather is from Palestine, so I am Arabic and I have heard a bit of the language. There are so many parallels between the Arabic language and Spanish, and also Arabic and English. It amazing how much of what we take for granted as "Spanish" culture actually came from the influences of civilizations before. The article on the Lleida's ban on Muslim burqas seemed to be the most controversial. I personally support the ban because I think that burqas are very discriminatory toward women, but that is my own personal beliefs. Had I been raised in Spain or in a Muslim family, I probably would not feel the same way. It is also surprising that a law like this would pass because Iberia has such deep Muslim roots. Finally, I liked the last article because it referred to Al-Andalus that we learned about in lecture, and it is amazing how much of Iberian architecture is modeled after the Muslim and Moorish styles that were introduced so long ago. All in all, these articles were very informative and interesting because they relate to everything we are learning about.
A country finding it’s own identity derives from many circumstances of it’s history. The Visigoths attempt to unify the Iberian Peninsula was something that remains a legacy worth commending by he fact that they upheld standards and engaged a community to put in work to bring about a new nation,. As mentioned in lecture, this was Spain’s first attempt to a unified and independent state derived from the legacy of the Visigoths to Spanish history. However, the stereotypes of Imperial Spain came to be credible with the amount of unrest and violence that the occurred during a brief period of time (624-711) in the Visigoth kingdom. The idea of a new nation brings about many implications. For instance, surnames come about to identify a family, then become an ideal way of recognizing families and following their trajectory. Through the development of these names, different variations are created. It is interesting to see that the way things such as surnames vary because of regions and languages. As one family or head of a household migrates, the name is taken to these new places. Furthermore, languages comprise an extremely important part of culture and just like surnames vary with the movement of people. The language that is spoken in a region also becomes a mesh of the history of that place. For example, the Moor invasion in Spain during the eight century brings about the Arabic influence to the Spanish language and many words that are common in the Spanish language are derived from Arabic roots. Therefore, Spain is a clear example of the rich history that brings about nation’s identity.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to find how much the Visigoth and Muslim cultures have influenced the Spanish language. It’s interesting because I feel no personal connection with these cultures—especially after we learned that there are few remains of Visigoth rule in Spain, which made it seem like their time is lost in history—and yet they live with me in the language I speak. But I was also surprised at the fact that the Muslim invasion is seen as a “loss of Spain,” and I feel like this attitude (along with the more recent prejudice against Muslims) is part of the reason for the attempt to ban burkas in Lleida. The article “Spain’s New Muslims” made a few references to the problems that Muslims encounter in Spain, but the burka ban makes me think that there might not be a lot of acceptance of Islam in the country.
ReplyDeleteTwo of this week’s readings were particularly interesting to me. The article about the outside influence of the Visgoth culture and the variations of the last names as a result of expansion and time made me think about my own last name and the last names in my family. Putting this into thought, I discovered that it was a possibility for my family to be evidence of these transformations. After doing my own investigation I discovered that the my mother’s last name Garay is a last name particularly associated with the modern Spanish Language but is of Hungarian origin meaning that it must have traveled from the east during a Germanic migration. A last name closely associated with Garay is Guray which seems to be a variation of the original. I also discovered that this version of the last name is used in other regions of the world like the Philippines which was once under the possession of the Spanish kingdom making it possible for this last name to have been transformed after it traveled. The second article was the Walrus Journal on the topic of the New Muslims. It was very interesting to find out that the idea of “new” and “old” still continues to linger in main stream Spanish society as an issue in the religious context but it seems to have now switched from “new Christians” and “old Christians” in 15th century Spain to “new Muslims” and “old Muslims”. Although there were Christian-to-Muslim converts throughout the history of Spain like Professor Torrecilla mentioned in lecture, it was not given the importance that converts to Christianity were given and their supposed threat to Spanish-Christian Society. I think that New Muslims are now being attributed this importance because modern Muslim converts have shown to practice a more liberal and politically involved version of the religion that seems to threat the established harmony of traditional Muslims in Spain.
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