Hi every body I know that their are alot of Basues,Galegos etc. posting on this site I understand that you guys are very protective of your regional identity. But I do how ever do have a question how comes you guys don't like being referred to as Spanish I mean Spain has had a great a history and is a great country is it really some thing to be ashamed of and I don't want to start a rant im just curious why each of us must refer them selves as castillian Galician etc. can't we just be Spanish-American your thoughts. ( And yes I know that the regions are VERY diferent but beare with me)Any how with Spain having such a great culture etc. why must we be ashamed of being referred to as Spanish Galician in other words being called Spanish souldn't be considered an insult since official speaking the regions are part of Spain. And I don't think being Spanish European is a bad thing. It also doesn't imply your castillian.

What the hell are you talking about?
First: there are Basques and Galegos, but they are of diverse opinions, not everybody is 'protective'.
BTW: what is 'protective'?
Why do you always generalize?

In fact most basques, catalonians and galaecians feel spanish...

There are a huge percentage who feel as spanish as basque/catalonian/galaecian, a significant percentage who feel mostly from their regions, and a minority (5-10% in Galaecia, 20-30% in the Basque Country, 10-30% in Catalonia) who doesn't feel spanish at all.

Fernando

People have strong ties to their origins and regions of birth. It's not something that people easily give up. Regional loyalty is everywhere and in every nation. If you look at every country in Europe (as an example), you'll find groups and subgroups of people that remain loyal to their ethnic origins.

Here in the US it's the same. Americans that are born in the West and South don't relate to the people in New England. Their foods, local customs and manner of speaking is different. Southerners are very proud of being "Southern". Im a native Texan, now you wanna talk about pride! Texans are very proud of their state, their history and the fact that we were the only state in the US be have been an independent republic before joining the Union. There's a couple of very popular sayings among Texans..."Don't mess with Texas", & "American by birth, Texan by the grace of God!"

We're all Americans, but each State is it's own region or part of a region and that's what makes a country great! Why would you want a country that's the same in every region? If you would visit a country where everyone is the same, looks the same, eats the same foods, dances to the same music, dresses alike with no variation, how interesting of a culture would that be?

That's why Spain has a rich heritage...because Castellano is not the only language spoken there, because flamenco is not the only form of dance and because paella is not the only dish that's eaten.

OsoMajor, exactly my thoughts.

Unfortunately, some spaniards think that the proud of being from their regions, their culture, their language, their customs, food, or even their way of being must be enhanced, not to make Spain a rich mixing of its people, but against what they consider "spanish" (which is, in fact, the rest of Spain without them).

From my point of view, Spain would not be Spain without Catalonia, or without the Basque Country. It would be a different thing.

Fernando