Between 2009 and 2014, the inhabitants of Galicia achieved a historic milestone: the removal of the derogatory definitions of “fool” and “stutterer” from the Real Academia Española dictionary under the entry for the word “Galician”. This victory was symbolic yet insignificant in the vast river of galaicophobia (hatred towards all things Galician) and gallegophobia (hatred towards the natural language of Galicia) that has been running since the 14th century. The negative attitudes towards Galicia stem from historical events and have been ingrained in Spanish society through jokes, sayings, traditions, literature, and even songs.
Researchers such as Alexandre Peres Vigo, professor at the Universidade da Coruña and author of Galaicofobia, have been documenting the manifestations of this xenophobic sentiment. A tradition from the late 19th century in Madrid involved mocking Galician immigrants by tricking them into climbing a ladder to see the Three Wise Men on Epiphany. This tradition may have led to the saying about a Galician and a ladder, reflecting the derogatory stereotypes associated with Galicians in Spanish culture.
Carlos Callón, in O libro negro da Lingua Galega, chronicles the suppression of the Galician language from 1480 to 1986 and the struggles faced by Galicians in reclaiming their linguistic identity. Despite the dominance of Castilian Spanish imposed by the crown, the Galician language remained deeply rooted in society, facing physical punishments for speaking it in schools and seminaries. The repression of the Galician language continued well into the 20th century, with penalties for speaking it in educational settings and beyond.
Negative stereotypes and prejudices against Galicians extended beyond Spain’s borders, particularly to America where Galicians were often associated with negative traits and belittled. The emigration of Galicians to Castile in the 16th century exacerbated these stereotypes, leading to violence and discrimination against Galicians. The pejorative language and treatment towards Galicians continued into the 20th century, perpetuated by cultural representations in literature, music, and theater.
The galaicophobia studied by scholars like Pilar García-Negro and Miguel Anxo Murado has taken various forms over half a millennium, ranging from cultural expressions to violent acts targeting Galicians. The negative attitudes towards Galicians have been reflected in centuries-old sayings and expressions, perpetuating stereotypes and prejudices. Literature and popular culture further perpetuated negative stereotypes about Galicians, deepening the ingrained biases that continue to manifest in modern society.
Despite some progress in recent years, with the removal of derogatory definitions from dictionaries and legal recognition of the Galician language, galaicophobia and galegofobia persist in Spanish society. Current events and cultural representations continue to perpetuate negative stereotypes about Galicians, fueling discriminatory attitudes and behaviors. Efforts to address and combat these biases are ongoing, with scholars and activists working to raise awareness and challenge the entrenched prejudices that have long plagued the Galician community.
