Why does Spain celebrate Christopher Columbus — and why is his legacy still so controversial?
Today the 12 October, Spain celebrates Hispanic Day (Día de la Hispanidad), its national day, with a spectacular military parade in Madrid. But behind the flags, fighter jets and public holiday lies a much more complicated story.
In this short episode of Spanish Practices – Real Life, Real Spain, I explore what Hispanic Day actually commemorates, how Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain in 1492 in search of a route to Asia, and why his arrival in the Caribbean changed the world forever.
But did Columbus really discover America? What about the millions of Indigenous people already living there? And how do we reconcile Spain's extraordinary cultural legacy in the Americas with the conquest, exploitation and suffering that accompanied its empire?
From Spanish national pride to the darker consequences of European colonisation, I look at the history behind one of Spain's most important public holidays — and why the same date means very different things on opposite sides of the Atlantic.
Hispanic Day, Christopher Columbus, Spanish history and a controversial past — all in about three minutes.
Welcome to Spanish Practices: Real Life, Real Spain, the podcast exploring the people, places, traditions and stories that make living in Spain endlessly fascinating.
EU AI Disclosure: Some parts of this Podcast use my AI cloned voice.
