Few people visit Spain without trying this traditional rice dish.
But where did it come from? Who first made it?
Generally it is agreed that paella originated in Valencia on the east coast of Spain. There are several stories on how the dish was invented.
One story claims that the servants of the Moorish kings used to gather up all the leftovers from royal feasts, mix them up with rice and then take this home to feed their families. It is even claimed that the Arabic word for leftovers, “baqiyah”, over the years became the word paella.
andalucia arabic cadiz dancers flamenco guitar gypsy moorish san fernando singers tarifa a
The origins of Flamenco are unclear but it is generally considered that it originated in Andalucia and is a fusion of Gypsy, Moorish, Sephardic and Arabic music. Flamenco, however is more than the intricately formed musical patterns, it is an art form and the dancers, singers, guitarists and percussionists create a whole musical genre.
There are many different styles of this music, including “verdiales”, “malagueñas”, “rondeñas” and “jaberas”.
The variants of Flamenco are rich and diverse, however six artists stand out. Once you’ve heard all of these artists, you’ll have a good idea of what flamenco is all about !
