CULTURE
The Culture of Gibraltar reflects
Gibraltarians' diverse origins. While there are Spanish and British
influences, a result of the territory's status as a British 'overseas
territory' (colony) and its proximity to Spain , the ethnic origins
of most Gibraltarians are neither British or Spanish, including
Genoese, Maltese, and Portuguese. Others are Jewish of Sephardic
or North African origin. Many Gibraltarians of Genoese origin
came to the Rock in the 18th century, with the Maltese and Portuguese
following in the 19th century, coming to work and trade in the
British military base.
During the Second World War,
the whole civilian population of the Rock was evacuated, in the
interests of the British military, which decreed that 'the fortress
comes first'. One official even described Gibraltarian civilians
as 'useless mouths'. They were moved to the UK, particularly to
Fulham and Kensington in London and Ballymena in Northern Ireland,
as well as Jamaica and Madeira. This served to strengthen a Gibraltarian,
as opposed to simply British, identity, and after the war, there
was a successful campaign for repatriation.
Spain
has often denigrated the Gibraltarians, who it describes as 'the
present inhabitants', on the grounds that they are not indigenous,
and that the original Spanish inhabitants were expelled when the
Anglo-Dutch expedition force seized the Rock in 1704. It has used
these arguments to argue that Gibraltarians are not a 'colonial'
people, but rather, a 'colonizing' people. This is in spite of
the fact that many Gibraltarians can trace their ancestry on the
Rock back further than most North Americans or Australasians of
European origin can trace their ancestry in their countries, and
indeed many Latin Americans living in former Spanish colonies.
Consequently, many Gibraltarians regard Spanish politicians, though
not Spaniards themselves, with considerable suspicion.
