Gibraltar

The Block

The Gibraltar block, coordinated by Anna Maria Tosso, features appliquéd and embroidered work, by Rebecca Faller and Paola Purswani. It depicts two of the nation’s most well-known sights. In the upper scene a key is attached to the gate of the three-towered Castle. Sources differ as to who actually granted the coat of arms with the “castle with a key pendant” to Gibraltar. One source suggests it was Henry IV of Castile. Another suggests it was his half-sister, Isabella I. Whoever it was, the key remains symbolic of Gibraltar’s position as the ‘Key to the Mediterranean.’

The lower section shows a pair of Barbary Apes (or Barbary Macaques). These tailless monkeys, the only free-living monkeys in Europe today, live in Gibraltar’s Queen’s Gate (Apes’ Den) and Great Siege areas. Symmetrical designs worked in cross-stitch balance the open areas, while a tassel and an additional gold key provide the finishing touches to the fine gold braid outlining the squares.

Cultural Profile

Gibraltar, situated in southwestern Europe, is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. Five kilometres long, it contains 143 caves and several kilometres of man-made tunnels. The largest cave, St Michael’s Cave, is 21 metres high and is used as a concert hall. Space is so scarce on this peninsula that the airport landing strip has to cross one of the Rock’s busiest roads, where traffic comes to a standstill each time a plane lands or takes off.

Gibraltar’s history and strategic location at the western entrance to the Mediterranean have made it an international symbol of solidity and strength. The name Gibraltar comes from the Arabic Jabal al Tariq, which means ‘Tariq’s mountain’ (named after Tariq Ibn Zeyad). Today it is known colloquially as ‘Gib’ or ‘The Rock.’ Ethnic groups include Gibraltarian British (of mixed Genoese, Maltese, Portuguese and Spanish descent), as well as British, Moroccan, and Indian. English is the official language. Spanish and Arabic are also used, however most of the population speaks a patois called Ilanito or Yanito, a mix of Andalucian Spanish and British English, peppered with Italian and Hebrew.

Gibraltarians have historically been proud of their British heritage, seeing themselves as ‘more British than the British.’ During World War II, all civilians from Gibraltar were evacuated, mostly to England, which furher reinforced the British character of the islanders. Although their culture reflects British and Spanish influences, it also encompasses the ethnic diversity of the nation’s people.

People coming from Gibraltar to Canada have been listed on immigration records since 1974, the year countries began to be listed individually instead of being grouped under regional designations. Their numbers, however, remain small.

Sponsor: Nellie I. Wells, from her family on her 92nd birthday