Human Towers:A catalan metaphor

Ses 14a

Sports&SocXavier Carmaniu Mainadé

HUMAN TOWERS = CASTELLS

Some considerations A cultural activity, not

sport.It was a local

tradition and now is a catalana tradition.

This has been possible due to:Its meaning.Television.

Some historyXVIIIth century: first evidence

of Human Tower.Origins: Ball de Valencians

(valencian dance).It’s a tradition from Southern

Catalonia (Penedés, Tarragona).Valls “capital city” of Castells.Top moments:

End of XIXth centur.1920’s1980’s1990’s: expanded around

Catalonia.2010: Castells were declared

UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Castells substituted Sardana as a national catalan symbol

Sardana: traditional dance from northern Catalonia (Empordà).People (men and women together) form circles during the dance. Symbol of a “United Catalonia”.

Values associated with Human Tower

“Fer pinya” (join together): be a team, work in a team.

Goal:Reach the highest point

possible.Always fighting: continue to

build the human tower even if it falls down.

The motto of Castells is: “Força, equilibri, valor i seny” (strenght, balance, courage and common sense).

Human Towers are used as team building technique in businesses.

Understanding castells

Who are they built by?They are built by “Colles

(“clubs”) Castelleres”.Every “colla” wears a

different colored shirt.There is a “cap de colla”

(coach) that gives instructions during its construction.

The higher the “castell” the more difficult it is to build it and take it down (“carregar i descarregar”).

“Cap de colla” directing the construction of a “castell”

“PINYA” STRUCTURE

Some types of Castells

3 de 7

3 de 8

3 de 9 amb folre

4 de 9 amb folre

2 de 9 amb folre i manilles

Competition of Human Towers in Tarragona (everey 2 years)