Catalan Identity in Pyrénées-Orientales

Coat of Arms
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The Pyrénées-Orientales département in south-west France (Catalan: Pirineus Orientals) is the southernmost département of France aside from the island of Corsica, and is part of the Languedoc-Roussillon region, which also encompasses the départements of Aude, Gard, Hérault and Lozère.


But until 1659, most of the current area wasn't even part of France. It was part of the Principality of Catalonia, in the Kingdom of Spain. After the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, the area became part of France, but to this day retains a strong Catalan identity, and is still sometimes referred to as Northern Catalonia.

The autonomous community of Catalonia (Catalan: Catalunya // Spanish: Cataluña // French: Catalogne) is today a region of north-western Spain, bordered by the regions of Aragón and Valencia, as well as France to the north and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. It has been historically significant in many wars and disputes such as the Reapers' War, the War of the Spanish Succession and most recently the Spanish Civil War, and under the dictatorship of Franco, who banned the use of the Catalan language and the discussion of anything to do with Catalan nationalism in public forum. In 2013, it was announced that a referendum on possible independence of the autonomous state from Spain would take place in November 2014.

Position of Pyrénées-Orientales in France
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Today, the département of Pyrénées-Orientales retains a strong link with its Catalan neighbour. Still known as Northern Catalonia, Catalan has been recognised as a regional language since 2007, and it is estimated that Catalan and/or Occitan (the other main minority language) are spoken by around a quarter of the population, and understood by around 40%. Traditionally, the département is divided into comarques, or administrative areas, of which five (French Cerdagne, Capcir, Conflent, Roussillon and Vallespir) are historically Catalan-speaking, and were once part of the Kingdom of Mallorca.

Catalan influences are also evident in the cuisine of the département. Although a large emphasis is put on fish, and in particular anchovies, due to the success of the fishing trade in towns such as Collioure, much of the cuisine draws from Catalan traditions, and dishes such as paella are incredibly popular, especially on important occasions. Traditional spanish flavours and ingredients are also prevalent, such as paprika (Spanish: pimentón), snails and calçots (a type of green onion).

So overall, the Catalan identity of this small French département is strong, even more than 350 years after it became a part of France. But it is this identity and these influences in every country that make the world as culturally diverse as it is today, and I think that that's something that we never want to go away.

~ Tess

REFERENCES: Wikipedia: Catalonia; Wikipedia: Pyrénées-Orientales; Wikipedia: Calçot; Wikipedia: Catalan self-determination referendum