Moros y cristianos. De la batalla festiva a la discursiva

Abstract

Just over a year ago in Spain, the parliament accepted a motion for debate sine die tabled by the Spanish conservative political party, the Partido Popular, concerning the declaration of the “Moros y cristianos” (Moors and Christians) festivals a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible World Heritage. The request should be seen in the context of the process of democratisation and universalization that heritage has undergone, and can be explained by the increasingly more commercial aspect of the process of turning activities into heritage. In the case that concerns us, the presentation of the motion gave rise to an interesting political debate over tradition, freedom, and threat. This article analyses the controversy surrounding these festivals and the proposal that they should be declared Intangible World Heritage.