Anthem of Andalusia

The Spanish Republic Constitution (1931) let some regions to be constituted in autonomies: the only regions that could make it, was Catalonia (1932) and Basque Country (1936, beginnings of Civil War), because of the Spanish Civil War. It was Blas Infante, a multifaceted political man, named Father of Andalusian Homeland, who wrote the anthem of Andalusia, with music of José del Castillo Díaz, who got inspiration from an Andalusian folk-song: “Santo Dios” (Holly God), a peasant chant. Infante also elaborated the actual flag and shield of the Autonomy of Andalusia. Blas Infante, a liberal bourgeois, republican and federalist, was executed by members of fascist party Falange Española y de las JONS (Spanish Phalanx of the Assemblies of the National Syndicalist Offensive), in August 1936.

During Franco’s dictatorship and Democratic transition, the Andalusian flag and anthem were symbols of the resistance too. Examples like Manuel José García Caparrós, who was shot to dead by the police for raising the flag of his land in 1977, although it was declarated legal. The anthem was released in July 10, 1936, by the Music Municipal Band of Seville, conducted by José del Castillo. In 1979, the same band played it again at the Lope de Vega Theatre, but two years before it was sung by Coral Heliópolis of Seville, arranged by Andalusian songwriter Carlos Cano:

The Blas Infante’s anthem, flag and shield were adopted as official in the Andalusian Statute of Autonomy (1981). A year before, the folk group Jarcha made a pasionated version in their album Andalucía en pie:

Himno de Andalucía

La bandera blanca y verde
vuelve, tras siglos de guerra,
a decir paz y esperanza,
bajo el sol de nuestra tierra.

¡Andaluces, levantaos!
¡Pedid tierra y libertad!
¡Sea por Andalucía libre,
España y la Humanidad!

Los andaluces queremos
volver a ser lo que fuimos
hombres de luz, que a los hombres,
alma de hombres les dimos.

¡Andaluces, levantaos!
¡Pedid tierra y libertad!
¡Sea por Andalucía libre,
España y la Humanidad!

Anthem of Andalusia

The white and green flag/ returns, after centuries of war,/ to say peace and hope,/ under the sun of our land.// Andalusians, stand up!/ Ask for land and freedom!/ Be for a free Andalusia,/ Spain* and Humankind!// We the andalusians want/ to be again what we were/ men of light that to tmen,/ men soul we gave them.// Andalusians, stand up!/ Ask for land and freedom!/ Be for a free Andalusia,/ Spain and Humankind!

Blas Infante – José del Castillo

(In the wikipedia link, ther is another translation into English)

* Some versions replace the word “Spain” for “the Nations” or “The Peoples”.

Another great artist who made a version of this beatufil and Humanist anthem, was the popular Andalusian singer Rocío Jurado: