Chapter 10 - ISLAND LIFE & CULTURE
 

Minorcans have a deep interest in cultural pursuits, for which they have a long tradition. Their contacts with the British in the eighteenth century widened the mental horizons of the educated, and Mahon's first cultural society was founded during the second British occupation in 1778. Its members were mostly Minorcan lawyers and intellectuals, who carried out an ambitious programme of debates, literary readings and translation of foreign works into the Minorquin language. The society suffered a decline during the subsequent Spanish occupation, but flourished again in the early nineteenth century, when it led a revival in Catalan literature.

Today the Minorcan's studious and inquiring mind is still applied to history, art, music and literature. When the winter tramontana blows, it is refreshing to find a people who make and organise their own cultural activities, and do not slavishly follow the small screen.

Out of Spain's estimated budget for 1974, 18 per cent (£73 million or $220 million) was allocated to 'education and culture'. The figure was substantial, but the linking of education with culture is notable. In Minorca they do in fact go hand in hand. In addition to its schools and colleges, Mahon has two remarkable cultural societies, founded in the early part of the 20th century, which continue to be strongly influential. The first is the Ateneo (Athenaeum), and the second the Casa de Cultura. In 1973 a third society, the International Centre for Culture and the Arts, opened its doors, under American inspiration and leadership.

The Ateneo
The Ateneo is a scientific, literary and arts association founded in 1905, and is the most important cultural centre on the island. Its modest and old fashioned rooms in the street called Gonde de Gifentes (behind the Explanada) quite belie its industry and influence. In addition to a library of over 10,000 volumes, and a reading room with some 100 foreign magazines and journals, it publishes annually its own historical and scientific review, the Revista de Menorca, which first appeared in 1888. The scope of subjects dealt with is wide, but the most important have been history and archaeology. In this respect a great service to knowledge has been performed, making possible the publication of much original research.
The association also sponsors and holds art and photographic exhibitions, runs courses on the arts, and offers substantial prizes annually in a wide range of fields. In recent years these have included poetry, the novel, journalism, music, social and natural sciences, archaeology, sociology, tourism, architecture, films and history. Such a body is unusual in a town of only 25,000 inhabitants.
The Ateneo also has a large natural-history collection of over 17,000 marine specimens, and a notable map collection. Re-issues of some of the more popular reviews are beginning to appear in local bookshops.

La Casa de Cultura
The Casa de Cultura does not represent a state cultural body as its name might suggest, but is a library and museum in a dignified neo-classical eighteenth-century house (formerly known as the Casa Mercadal) in the Plaza de la Conquista. It was bought and given to the city of Mahon by a citizen interested in the arts -Don Jose Codina Villalonga - and converted to its present use. In addition to the facilities mentioned, it has an auditorium for lectures. Its modern library houses over 20,000 volumes, and hundreds of periodicals. The visitor will be impressed by its scope and atmosphere of scholarship; by its silence and small groups of senior school pupils studying at tables, the whole scene reminding one of a university town. The reader will recollect that the Casa was built on the former site of the castle of Mahon, and he should not miss the precipitous view down to the port from one of the library windows.
The museum is well worth a visit, and contains many relics from Phoenician and Roman times, as well as part of the mausoleum of Sir Richard Kane from the former St Philip's Castle, which had been destroyed by the French in 1784. In an ante-room to the museum is a collection from Jim Maps illustrating the three British occupations of the island in the eighteenth century. Some fine engravings of St Philip's Fort are particularly interesting. The museum houses many local historical archives, maps and engravings.

International Centre for Culture
The International Centre for Culture and the Arts opened in Mahon in October 1973, and as its name implies it hoped to spread its influence beyond the island. Its doors were old ones, for it occupied a formerly derelict building, adjoining the church of San Francisco, which was once a fifteenth-century monastery and later a nunnery. Its founder and first director was Mrs Alicia Neath, an American of South American and Spanish descent, and a noted sculptress. She was assisted by her daughter, and a Minorcan, Senor Francisco Pons Montenari.
The prospectus offered a wide choice of classes: sculpture, painting, ceramics, pottery, photography, music, art, drama, ballet and physical culture and languages. It was open to all races and ages, and tuition was in both Spanish and English, by professional teachers. It was hoped to run special courses during the summer months to attract visiting students.
The director was able to enlist American official interest in the project in addition to local co-operation. The Spanish government placed the building at the disposal of the Centre. 
Mahon municipality contributed to the cost of the project. The American Navy has also provided substantial help, thus forming a new link between America and Minorca.
 

Cultural 'Week of the Month'
As well as this more academic side of cultural life, Mahon municipality organised throughout the year a 'week of the month', each week being devoted to one aspect of the life of the people. A full programme of events was published in advance, and these were entered into by the Mahonese with as much enthusiasm as they devoted to their fiestas. There were competitions between groups and prizes offered, often by local business firms. In some ways they resembled British musical and other festivals.

The following list of 'weeks' from January to December give some idea of their variety: Balearic Theatre, Sport, Opera, Country Life, Children's Week, Nautical Week, Civics, Trade (Jewellery), Film Week, Christmas. It is not possible to deal with each in detail, but the very active local theatre, music and opera groups in Mahon are particularly worth mentioning. The 'Children's Week' is singled out by way of illustration. It took place when the school year had finished, at the end of June. Like all Spaniards, Minorcans adore their children, but surely nowhere else could end-of-term celebrations last for a week, and require such stamina.

One year the programme was as follows:
Saturday evening. Official opening of exhibition of school handiwork. in the Town Hall. Competitions and open-air acting performance in the Esplanade. Grand bonfire with burning of effigies, ending with a 'powerful and very loud firework'. 
Sunday evening. Open-air party in the Esplanade - given by the local ice-cream factory. Conjuror and illusionist followed. 
Monday evening. Model-making competition with prizes, followed by children's Fair, music and games.
Tuesday evening. Play in local theatre in Minorquin language. 
Wednesday morning. End-of-term picnic to Es Grau beach for sand-castle contest, financed by local estate developer.
Evening: musical festival by the School of Music and pupils under leading local conductor in the Opera House.
Thursday. End-of-year speeches and prize-giving in local theatre. Party with sideshows in new industrial complex given by leading firm. A sudden serious note - Round Table Discussion between fathers and senior pupils on teen-age problems of life and education.
Friday. Sailing regatta in Port Mahon. Speedboat racing (pupils taken as passengers). Dance group. Municipal band. Final firework display.
Saturday. Exhibitions of pupils' best paintings and drawings.

At the end of this marathon, these fortunate children enter on three months' summer holidays during which they enjoy the beaches as much as do the tourists.
 
 

69