Andalusia's white villages

Jen Rose Smith

White villages on hilltops throughout the countryside of Andalusia, Spain share more than beautiful architecture.They were built to defend communities against invaders during centuries of conflict.

A white village named Algar recently began a campaign for a local tradition they call“fresh⁃air chats”to be recognized on the UNESCO World Heritage Intangible List.

“We all bring chairs into the street to spend time with our friends and neighbors. It's been happening as long as anyone can remember,”said Algar mayor José Carlos Sánchez,who was born and raised in this community of less than 2,000 people.“It's a special thing,to see people old and young sitting out in the street together.”That long⁃running, commu⁃nal discussion has the power to bring the community together to share news.

Today, the white villages of Andalusia are also a point of cultural pride. Traditional production of Andalusian whitewash was itself given UNESCO status in 2011, and south⁃west of Sevilla the Museo de Cal de Morón demonstrates the artisanal (手工艺的) process for visitors.

“That type of recognition can raise awareness of the community's shared heritage,”said Gema Carrera Díaz,director of the Atlas of the Andalusian Immaterial Heritage.“The summers are very warm,so people always go outside to cool off,and the cultures here place a lot of value on socialising,”Carrera said,noting that air conditioning and modern technol⁃ogy have also contributed to changing social patterns.

Reading Check

What can we know about the cultures in the white villages of Andalusia?

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