Women were second class citizens, except during courtship and dance: Toni Manonelles

Women have suffered as second class citizens in most traditional, patriarchal societies around the world and Ibiza was no exception. Females had far fewer freedoms and rights than men and were often excluded from secondary education right up until the 1970s and ‘80s. However there was one moment in a woman’s life when she was in control of her destiny, and exerted power over her family and the males she came into contact with - the period between the start of her courtship and the moment she got married, including the rituals of dancing. This extraordinary and unusual aspect of traditional society is believed to be unique to Ibiza and Formentera.

Om Podcasten

Welcome to Ibizology, a podcast exploring the culture, history and arts of the Balearic island of Ibiza. I’m Will Beacham, an Ibiza-based journalist and in each episode I interview an Ibizan who is contributing in some way to life on this wonderful island. Through their words I aim to bring to life different aspects of island living as they tell their unique stories. The Ibizan music you hear was recorded in July 1952 in the churchyard of the village of St Josep by the musicologist Alan Lomax. It is called “Bon amor jo et venc a veure” which translates from Catalan as “Good love, I come to see you.” It is part of a huge archive of folk music he recorded all over the world. The Ibizan segment of the archive can be heard at http://research.culturalequity.org/get-audio-ix.do?ix=recording&id=11950:89&idType=subregion&sortBy=abc The music, from the Alan Lomax Collection at the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress. Used courtesy of the Association for Cultural Equity. Painting of Ibiza's Dalt Vila by Vicent Calbert, courtesy of Bar Costa, Santa Gertrudis.