Galician Cultural and Political Renaissance: 1906–1936

Foundations of Galician Cultural Nationalism

1. The Language: The Real Academia Galega

The foundation of the Real Academia Galega (RAG) in 1906 represents a breakthrough in the characterization, recovery, and defense of the Galician language. Promoted from Havana by Fontela Leal and Curros, its first president and a key figure in Old Regionalism was Manuel Murguía.

2. The Nation: The Brotherhoods of the Fala

The founding of the Brotherhoods of the Fala (Irmandades da Fala) in 1916 marked the culmination of a process begun during the Provincialism century and continued through Regionalism. This process involved the construction of a Galician national identity based on specific imagery. This movement led to nationalism, a political force that focused on major social, cultural, and political demands throughout the 20th century in Galicia.

3. A Literature: The Nós Movement

This period saw the emergence and consolidation of a literary system that sought new structures for its delivery and dissemination, evidenced by numerous cultural and publishing initiatives.

The magazine Nós was edited from 1920 to 1936, totaling 144 issues. Vicente Risco served as editorial director and Castelao as artistic director. Ánxel Casal led the Editorial Nós, which published works in various forms, including essays (such as Of our times we the misfits) and novels written about themselves.

Social and Agrarian Conflict in Galicia

The climate of social conflict experienced throughout Europe at the time, exacerbated by the Bolshevik Revolution, resonated in Galicia, especially in the form of agrarian movements. This was a result of the fin-de-siècle agrarian crisis, derived in turn from the fall of the Ancien Régime. Numerous agricultural organizations were present in Galician social life during that time, including:

• Acción Gallega
• Solidarity Galega

The Generation of 1925 and Modernity

The Generation of 1925, also known as the Generation of the Seminario de Estudos Galegos, included figures such as Rafael Dieste and Eduardo Blanco Amor. This group even attracted literary writing from Federico García Lorca. They were responsible for introducing foreign elements of modernity into the Galician literary tradition through various avant-garde movements, drawing inspiration from both European literature and the tradition itself.

The Seminario de Estudos Galegos

The Seminario de Estudos Galegos (SEG) was one of the most ambitious initiatives of this period. It contemplated the creation of a multidisciplinary institution for study and research across many different areas of culture. This initiative was partly due to the lack of interest shown by established academic institutions toward Galician culture.

The Seminario constituted a meeting point for teachers and students, many of whom were tied to the Nós magazine and the Brotherhoods of the Fala. It was organized into specialized study cores or materials. Participants in the first meeting included:

• Lois Tobío
• Manuel Magariños

Leading figures soon joined, such as Otero Pedrayo and Antón Vilar Ponte.