CATALUNYA HUMAN TOWERS

BARCELONA, 25 January 2012
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To kick off 2012 human towers season I take for granted that there are a few positive things that I know this world will never be without: El Barça, La Patum de Berga. El Pedraforca El 3 de 10 descarregat.

ANAR A INICI


One can know a country like Catalunya by its Futbol Club Barcelona, by its cool landscapes and Costa Brava beaches, or its most important artists like Salvador Dalí, Joan Miro, among others celebrities and items. However, if you want to live a really thrilling experience then the best option for you is to see, or even better, to take part in a castellera display. Catalan human towers are worth seeing, hence you should get to know human towers better, because the more you know them, the more you'll like them.
The building up of -CASTELLS- is a Catalan tradition that goes back at least two hundred years. One thing ought to be pointed out is that these human towers originated in the area of Tarragona, as a matter of fact, the town considered to be the cradle of castells is Valls, near Tarragona city. These constructions of varying heights are known as castells and each level can be made up of one or more people. There are many different shapes of castells all with their own names in the Catalan language. The number of people and levels is what gives the castell its name, which is made up of two numbers, the first indicating the number of people per level, and the second indicating the number of levels (two of nine, five of eight, and so on). For instance, a 4 de 9 is depicted, because there are four people making up most of the levels, and the castell is nine storeys high. The people who build up castells are named CASTELLERS & CASTELLERES who belong to teams known as COLLES, with a team leader. The colles wear white trousers, a long sash wrapped around the waist and a red kerchief. Several Catalan towns have their own team or colla made up of men, women and children. The phenomenon of castells over the last years has widespread in such a way that it has crossed the border of Catalonia, and has become very popular with the creation of castells in the Balearic Islands and Southern France.

El 3 de 10: is a CASTELL of 10 storeys. It is the highest castell which has so far been achieved. Of the around fifty colles which presently exist there are only three which have the capacity to build up this castell and it requires no less than 500 people to do so. Though every year top colles target their priorities to Descarregar el 3 de 10, so far, only els Minyons de Terrassa got away with it. They got it twice, being them second to none at present.

THE Catalan Human Towers are experiencing a golden age. This is not strictly speaking a Catalonia's phenomenon; most Catalan speaking area is enjoying a golden age of castells, in part due to this UNESCO statement. The 5th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage that took place at the Kenyatta International Conference Center in Nairobi, Kenya, on November 16th 2010 declared the Catalan tradition of building up castells - known in English language as human towers- Intangible Cultural Heritage of humanity.

This wave of interest in castells certainly favours international diffusion of Catalan culture. Nevertheless, it does not guarantee it. What I mean to say is that despite the presence of this type of wave, Catalan culture can ride on the crest of it or fall behind. In not all parts of the world has Catalan culture been projected in the same measure. Some have scarcely felt the effects of the wave. Thus at this favourable juncture, other considerations should be taken into account. Castells have assets that clearly acts in its favuor. First and foremost, an outstanding quality and quantity, an extraordinary variety of aesthetics, and perfectly exportable. Secondly, a deeply rooted disposition for internationalizing, in fact, just now there is a colla castellera in China. Thirdly, the work that has been done and continues to be done in many areas, from colles castelleres to public institutions, from governments to media coverage. Among others things, this enhances interest in Catalan culture, creates a public, and acts as a sort of cultural embassy.

Castellers & castelleres therefore have assets to get onto the wave. And that is why we are here; castells exhibitions have multiplied. 2010 UNESCO statement on human towers was extremely important being very good news for Catalunya, Catalan culture, and for the whole Catalan speaking area as well. We are riding the wave, but there is no guarantee we will be on the top permanently, unless we adopt changes. What should we do to keep up with the wave? For instance, diversify the human towers displays into new areas. There is a certain concentration in southern Catalunya, mainly around Tarragona area. This market should be opened to northern Catalunya. The map should be widened. And that demands efforts of many kinds, but I will stop to focus on just one of them: more colles castelleres will be needed.

Welcome new colles. Yes more new colles castelleres. It seems to be more colles on the way. At that point rumor has it that “someone” is supporting the build of la colla dels castellers de Berga, la colla castellera de Berga, or whatever be colled. I konw this rumor since la Diada de Tirallongues, November 2011, that means that “someone” is working on it at least since 3 months ago. A member of human towers team Tirallongues de Manresa who born in the city of Berga once said in an interview on Ràdio Berga: no descarto que algun dia al Berguedà s’hi pugui crear una colla castellera: “si han arribat a llocs com Manresa i Solsona, per què no al Berguedà?.

More exhibitions, and in more new towns and villages, not only those around Tarragona area, also those that seem furthest from Tarragona area right now. In order for there to be new places where build up casstells, there have to be more new colles castelleres, like the one in the city of Solsona that started last year. It may seem obvious, but this has to be done, and that is why we should renew efforts. More colles castelleres mean more castellers & castelleres and, of course, more castells in many more towns. Human towers stopped being invisible a long time ago, now colles castelleres should try to fill the whole scene with more and more Catalan human towers. May an onslaught of awesome new human towers flood Catalunya in 2012.