#there IS sone Arab influence in Spanish culture

[asitrita]

I just spent half a day arguing with someone who claims aph Spain is practically Arab because of Al Andaluz and I can't with people

That person didn't know any basic history. If Spain is Arab because of Al Andalus, India must be an exact copy of Britain and the quintessential Anglo Saxon society. And at least they do speak English, lol.

That person probably fed on all the Orientalist propaganda and ridiculous stereotypes about Spain. But the influence Arab culture had in Spain is minimal and superficial. Sure, there's some Arab influence, but it is pretty superficial and non transcendental to Spanish culture, society, or identity. Its biggest contribution to Spain was it acting as its adversary, hence reinforcing the Roman and Christian identity of Spain's population. They should just ask themselves what language do Spaniards speak and what is the predominant religion in Spain.

Also, just ask the person if they think Arabs are responsible for mass genocide in Spain and killed all native inhabitants so everyone in Spain is Arab now.

Tbh, I'm sure they don't even distinguish between Arab and North African/Berber culture, nor are aware of the process of Reconquista, let alone know the difference between Emirate and Caliphate, or the existence of the Taifa kingdoms.

Anyone who thinks Spain is an Arab country, or even somewhat Arab, because of Al Andalus, is either an ignorant/delusional fool, or a troll, or maybe both.

As for aph Spain, I would think nation personifications represent the people living in those regions. Since people living in Spain today are not Arab, not even remotely so, and are descendants of the Northern Christian people who repopulated the south + buckets of Christian people who lived in the south under Muslim rule but who never converted and were later assimilated again within a Christian, Greco-Roman, and Medieval European context and culture, I see absolute no reason to make aph Spain Arab, nor anything remotely similar. That would make as much sense as creating an OC of the Mexica (Aztec) empire and making him/her Spanish, or making India a Saxon warrior, or Nigeria a Viking sailor (actually, maybe even less sense, if that's even possible).

#and don't fight me on this #aph spain #antonio fernandez carriedo #tbh #i got the feeling some people do it out of ignorance #and I may have been too rough in this post #and their assumptions are nto coming from a bad place at all #but it is annoying #think whatever you want #but it does get irritating at times #more so when you are talking to them and they insist over and over on the topic #again #there IS sone Arab influence in Spanish culture #just like today there's a whole ton of American (USA) influence in pop culture all over the world #but this is superficial and non-trancendental in terms of identity society or overall culture of a nation #if Spain is practically Arab because of the little influence Al-Ándalus had in Spanish culture #then we may very well say Spain is France's clone for there's no other country that has influenced Spain as much as France has #italy coming a close second #however saying aph Spain or Spain is practically French or Italian because if their influence in our culture and politics would be nuts #history #kind of