When those who represent us institutionally are not up to the task, the resulting unease is difficult to contain; that is, "when those in charge lose their shame, those who obey lose their respect" (Georg C. Lichtenberg). That's why I agree with Charles de Gaulle Regarding the saying, "I've come to the conclusion that politics is too serious to be left in the hands of politicians." Let's move beyond famous quotes and get down to brass tacks. But first, let it be clear that this text does not represent the editorial line of expoflamencoThis is simply the personal opinion of the person writing this. Please, any criticism this may provoke should be directed at me.
Last Thursday we woke up to the painful news of the passing of Antonio Fernández Diaz 'Fosforito'And the person writing this absolutely agrees with all the virtues and excellences that have been expressed about him on social media, in statements, articles, and news reports (few, very few, and with little impact, but of course, this is flamenco (and we are no longer frightened by invisibility). These lines do not intend to gloss the figure of the Master, simply because it is not necessary, Fosforito has been justifying his worth for seventy years.
Today, November 16th, we celebrate what is called "Day of Flamenco"Because UNESCO saw fit to declare our artistic expression as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Cordoba newspaper Today it offers a supplement for this commemoration, as it marks fifteen years. I have had the pleasure of contributing a lengthy article, and if you, the reader, manage to get a copy and are able to endure the lengthy text, you will see that we ask for respectful treatment of the flamencoBecause cante It's not entertainment, it's CULTURE. Our culture.
Fosforito, during his lifetime, always expressed his gratitude for the recognitions he received; from the most modest insignia of a peña flamenca up to the Medal of Merit in Fine Arts from the Ministry of Culture, or the V Golden Key of Cante. The value for Antonio lay in the affection of the fansBecause that's where memory remains and the heart resides.
The debate about the merits of the awards is something best left to amateur gatherings, the kind that liven things up. But let no one be mistaken, There is an institutional responsibility to fulfill its obligations.Because, in some way, institutions control our lives. This time—again—they have failed us.
«El flamenco It needs to be treated with the importance it deserves, once and for all. Fosforito was wronged, but he can hardly care anymore, and his family is immersed in the pain of their loss and can't afford such nonsense. What is irreparable, however, is the damage done to... flamenco, one more time"
Let's start with the good news. We saw the president of the Córdoba Provincial Council, the provincial deputy for Culture of Málaga, and the mayors of Málaga, Puente Genil, and Córdoba at the funeral chapel. Of course, given that it was Fosforito, If the representatives from Cordoba and Malaga had been absent, we would have had to call the Civil Guard.In fairness, we must applaud the way in which the Malaga City Council has dealt with the loss of this genius of our culture. Francisco de la TorreThe mayor of Malaga has understood the price we pay with the loss of Fosforito, and his involvement has gone beyond institutional norms, as the affection, closeness, love and attention given have shown that the granting of the title of Adopted Son that the city dedicated to the Maestro last February was not an institutional formality, but a gesture made with the heart of the city of Malaga.
But where was the director of the Andalusian Institute of FlamencoYes, the director of the Andalusian Institute of FlamencoAnd what about the Andalusian Regional Government's Department of Culture? And the Ministry of Culture? It's shameful and disheartening to see how el flamenco It remains the Cinderella of all the arts, as Fosforito himself stated exactly five years ago.Let's get this straight: the news of the death of Fosforito, a genius of canteIt is of such importance to our culture that it should have led the nation's news broadcasts, but no, you only saw on TV that he died Encarnita Polo (May he rest in peace). That's where we still are.
Do we proclaim the cultural value of flamenco in the world through UNESCO, and our top representatives don't appear? Was it Paco Vallecillo who registered the Key of Cante The award was granted to the Ministry of Culture in 1984, meaning the Andalusian government has the authority to bestow it. As we all know, this honor went to Fosforito in 2005, and that's where the real shock comes. Our political representatives have an obligation to beWe are part of Andalusian identity and Spain's cultural image abroad. flamenco It needs to be treated with the importance it deserves, once and for all. Fosforito was wronged, but he can hardly care anymore, and his family is immersed in the pain of their loss and can't afford such nonsense. What is irreparable, however, is the damage done to... flamenco, one more time.
As we write these lines, we have received information that the Ministers of Culture and Economy visited the funeral chapel early Friday morning, which is comforting, but is not sufficientIf they attended, photographic evidence of the visit should have been left, not because the flamenco singer needed it, and certainly not for the politician's glory. The photo serves to demonstrate that the highest representatives of our region are paying institutional attention to the last remaining holder of the Key to the Cathedral. Cante...an award granted by the Board itself, which its officials must respect to be consistent with their rhetoric. To make matters worse, it seems that Juanma Moreno He was in Malaga on Friday, but his schedule apparently didn't include saying goodbye to Fosforito at his funeral. Good heavens. If the deceased had been Antonio Banderas (God save him for a thousand years) there would have been a catwalk and parade of the high-ranking officials of the Board through the Church of San PabloCan someone explain to me what the inclusion of the flamenco in the Andalusian statute, and what is the point of this charade of the much-vaunted Law of the flamencoIf those who represent us aren't where their position requires them to be, then deep down we're still just a bunch of hicks.
But if the political absences were deafening, even more painful was witnessing the flight of their own people. flamencos. David Pino, El Pele, Julián Estrada, Pepe de Campillos, Francis Bonela, Gregorio Valderrama, Jorge Vílchez, Vicente Cáceres as flamenco singers, and Manuel Silveria, Antonio Soto, José Juan Pantoja y Manolo Santos As guitarists, they were among the few we saw accompanying the Maestro (please forgive me if I've left anyone out). Not a trace of those we now call leading figures of the genre. flamenconor those in the middle of the table; now, There has been no shortage of posturing on social mediaNor did we see the specialized criticism sector, with the exception of Gonzalo RojoOf course. You see things like this and you bite your nightgown cuffs in anger. The only one of the big names who showed up at the funeral chapel was Miguel PovedaAnd I can assure you that he left visibly shaken. Miguel is also very sensitive, and tears streamed down his face as he left the town hall.
I'll finish now and won't bother you any longer; I just want to clarify a couple of things. This article has no political leanings on my part. And finally, I want to emphasize that this text isn't a response to a fit of pique, but rather to a feeling of disappointment. When hypocrisy, the hypocrisy of everyone, becomes normalized, we begin to be lost..
Text: Miguel Angel Jimenez Valverde
