Catalan traditions

"I was taken to the plaza outside of the cathedral in Barcelona and I felt very proud to dance the sardana" Joanne Tapiolas

Being far away from Catalonia and the family didn’t stop the Catalan migrants in Australia from keeping on practicing their traditions. In North Queensland there is a Spanish group that meet once a year to celebrate the day of the ‘Sardana’, the traditional Catalan dance. Some families of Catalan origin still celebrate the ‘caga tió’ every Christmas and sing traditional Catalan songs. Do you remember any?

The early Catalan pioneers in Australia were often seen by their Australian colleagues and descendants as different due to the way they did things in the Spanish style... They were also known for their strong religious beliefs... And many of the traditions they brought with them are from catholic tradition. Are you ready to discover them? Click on each image to read more.