the city's main square plaza catalunya
is the center of the world for seven
million Catalan people it's a lively
people scene throughout the day the
square is decorated with statues
honoring important catalogs Catalunya
has its own distinct language history
and flag which locals quite proudly next
to Spain's by X on government buildings
and all along from their apartments
Catalunya has often been at odds with
the central Spanish government in the
drift
during the 1930s this area is one of the
last pockets of resistance against the
fascist dictator Francisco Franco when
he finally took power he punished the
region with four decades of repression
during this period the people were
forbidden to fly the Catalonian flag
instead to show their national spirit
they flew this the flag of the Barcelona
soccer team Catalans consider themselves
not part of our region that's what Spain
calls them but a nation without a state
[Music]
the Catalan language is irrevocably tied
to the spirit and history of the Catalan
people sure everyone speaks Spanish but
these kids speak Catalan first
[Music]