The tie to local traditions is heightened among people eager to show their unique set of cultural values to the world in order to make a case for their independence. Consider the advantages of visiting an area with a strong separatist movement:
- Festivals are like they were in the past, a way to give light to spiritual values, to distribute food and drink equitably, and sometimes to turn the world on its ear. In Sardinia, for example, l'ardia is an ancient horse race that pays homage to the emperor Constantine's Christian conversion and God's special healing of grateful townsfolk. It is a dangerous race and the results are quite meaningful to the local population. In the end everyone drinks free wine from a common glass. If you want a commercial festival of pop music, entry fees, plastic glasses and shining industrial products wanting to be bought, you may wish to look elsewhere.
- Shopping--Crafts figure quite strongly in cultural independence movements. From the traditional baskets and hand-woven rugs of Sardinia to Basque staffs called makilas, there's lots of interesting stuff to buy. In Sardinia, look for shops labeled I.S.O.L.A. for genuine (and expensive) Sardinian Crafts. If you get to Lapland, try the Jokkmokk Sámi Winter Market where you can buy underwear made from human hair (your own, presumably--why wear someone else's next to your crotch?)
- Food--Traditions extend to food as well. The celebration of local cooking in the Basque country is legendary. People will probably take the time to show you the superiority of their cuisine and produce, and introduce you to their varieties of wine. Try Corsica's famous Charcuterie. Corsicans have been known as the best producers of pork products for years--a craft that is coming under fire by large companies looking to profit from the Corsicans' fame by selling inferior products labeled as "Charcuterie Corse" for cheap--thus lowering the market value of the real goods and putting the artisanal producers under stress. Go knock on farm doors. Find the source of real Corsican Charcuterie and reward the local craftsman with your Euros for continuing a tradition of excellence.
- Drink--The Basque country produces some great wine. In Sardinia you can pick up a bottle of Ichnusa beer. On it you'll see the symbol of the "quattro mori" or the four Moors who are symbolic of the Partito Sardo d' Azione independence party.
- Language--It's unique. No one will expect you to learn it before visiting.
Downsides?
Yes, there are some. People in these regions may be suspicious of you and your motives. You can counter these suspicions by learning a little about the culture and reacting accordingly. In Sardinian villages, for example, comparison shopping is frowned upon. You go to one store for your pasta and that's it. In small villages you're likely to find an amazing number of small shops. Non-competition allows more people a chance at making a reasonable living--at the expense of cutthroat low prices of course.
Then there's the very slight chance of getting caught up in violence by radical groups. This is probably more likely in the Basque region than anywhere else. But most violence of this sort is targeted at political figures who are thought to oppose independence, and I'm not one of those--so I don't worry much about it.
Independence. It's a good thing. Try it and see.
Travel Resources for Regions with Strong Separatist Movements
Sami Resources: Indigenous Sami hold on to culture, fight for ancestral lands on Europe's Arctic fringe
