Mallorca Days

9 September. That's the one I'd go for. Tourism Day 1965. It won't win of course. The first Tourism Day had been the year before but I can't find the exact date. It may have been the same, but it wouldn't make any difference. Either year and it was a day of the times of El Moustachio, so that rules it out straightaway. And celebrating tourism? You must be joking. Mallorca Day, in honour of tourists?

Another problem with my day is that it's too near the current one. Only three days shy in fact. 12 September is currently Mallorca Day, but the problem with this current day is that no one takes any notice of it and they never have done. One could now, via a reinterpretation of historic memory law, make a case for its abandonment on account of it having been a Maria invention: the Maria who is at present at His Majesty's Pleasure. 12 September was Munar Day, one conjured up by the government-in-parallel, Maria's Council of Mallorca. When you have your own mini-me government, you need your own "day" as well. Jaume II was crowned on that day, 739 years ago (721 ago years when the first Day occurred in 1997). The Kingdom of Mallorca was firmly established, certain rights were bestowed, so 12 September it was to be then. 

As the new Council of Mallorca seeks to become its own government-in-parallel, Banbury's finest, Miquel Ensenyat, believes that the citizens should decide which day it should be. Given that the citizens appear to have been indifferent in the past, the chances are that participation in the planned referendum might just turn out to be a slight embarrassment. But you never know. Get a day for rejoicing by all Mallorcans, and they'll turn up at the polling stations and celebrate it like crazy for years to come.

The bookies' favourite would be 31 December. It is a date so obvious that it is worth being reminded why it isn't Mallorca Day. Firstly, it would seem that no one had really thought that such a day was necessary before Munar Day was announced. Secondly, it would clash with Palma's Festival of the Standard and thus become all a bit too Mallorcan, as in all of Mallorca and not just one chunk of it. Thirdly, most public institutions and thus politicians are on festive break, and they would have to be corralled into engaging in all the ceremonial palaver when they would prefer to already be half-cut before getting totally cut come midnight and choking on their twelve grapes.

And then fourthly, and most importantly, there's the nationalism thing.

As 31 December (1229) is the day when Jaume I finally took old Madina Mayurqa (aka Palma), put the Muslims to flight and started carving up the island's land for his mates, for Catalan nationalists, such as Miquel Ensenyat, and for many who are neither Catalan nor nationalists, 31 December appears a no-brainer. It was when Mallorca started: in a Catalan sense. There are probably, if one delves deeply enough, days from 123BC, the fifth century and 902AD when, respectively, the Romans began a-roaming, the Vandals came a-vandalising and the Muslims came an offshoot caliphating, that could also be suggested for a "Day", as in conquest and occupation, but then none of those spoke Catalan and all three were the bad guys.

Blindingly obvious though 31 December is, the Catalan nationalism thing is, for some (i.e. those to the right), just too Catalan. Jaume II and his coronation is far more acceptable to those of a purer Mallorcan nationalist tendency: typically, those more to the right.

If anyone can be bothered voting in this proposed referendum, the No to 1276 and Yes to 1229 Campaign should, you would think, win. There are, however, already other contenders. Some parts of PSOE seem to believe that 29 October, 1977 would get the locals excited. True, there was a demo on that day when some 20,000 called for autonomy (for both Mallorca and the Balearics). But given that there is a day for when Balearic autonomy was officially granted, i.e. 1 March, Balearics Day, then why would you need another one? And to be perfectly frank, Balearics Day is a holiday that doesn't inspire a great deal of passion either.

As they'd almost certainly reject my Tourism Day suggestion, let me make another one. When should Mallorca Day be? 12 September. Forget all about Jaume II (or Jaume I for that matter), 12 September is also the day of the Virgin of Lluc, when Mallorca's patron saint is honoured. For once, religion could have a compromise role.

Whatever dates make the shortlist though, I've a question. Do you reckon non-Spanish residents will get a chance to vote in the referendum? Miquel might just remember where he was from.