For people in Andalusia, the home of flamenco, 28th February is a special day; it’s Andalusia Day (el Día de Andalucía) that commemorates the 1980 referendum in which the southernmost region of Spain gained the status as an autonomous community.
On and around this day, the regional anthem, ‘el himno de Andalucía’ will be heard in related events and local streets. The anthem is also called ‘la Bandera Blanca y Verde’ (the flag of white and green), since the lyrics feature the Andalusian flag whose colours represent hope and peace.
While the song has a distinctively beautiful melody, quite a few flamenco artists have attempted to add their creativity respectively. Miguel Poveda, for example, performed with a classical string quartet:
Miguel Poveda (2016)
India Martínez and Arcángel transformed the song into a profound flamenco duet:
India Martínez and Arcángel (2017)
On the celebration day in 2014, Andalusia was mourning the death of the greatest guitarist Paco de Lucía, who passed away on 25th February 2014. Estrella Morente dedicated the anthem to Paco in the form of Seguiriya:
Estrella Morente (2014)
Flamenco being such a versatile art form, El Lebrijano transfigured the conventional music piece to an almost ‘original’ anthem in a unique Bulerías style, encouraging the whole community to appreciate the precious moment of living the day together:
El Lebrijano (1990)
This local but gorgeous anthem of Andalusia praises liberty, humanity and peace, the universal values acquired through history. From the home of flamenco, this beautiful song will resonate with our prayers under the current situation in the world.