[Kim Seong-kon] Why Spain, now?: 'A furnace of different cultures'

As a professor, translator and self-appointed cultural ambassador, I have traveled to many countries in my life. One of the best places I have ever visited is Malaga in Spain. Thanks to the generous invitation of Vice Chancellor Victor Munoz and Professor Antonio Domenech, I had a chance to be affiliated with the University of Malaga as a visiting professor for a semester. Thanks to the warm hospitality of Gonzalo Ortiz, the former Spanish Ambassador to South Korea, I also had a chance to visit Madrid. Still, I prefer Malaga.

When I first saw Malaga, I immediately fell in love with the charming city. Malaga was a paradise that had everything I had dreamed of -- the passionate, glaring sun set in a deep blue sky without a cloud, and the gorgeous costa del sol, or “coast of the sun,” which was so placid, with barely a wave or even a ripple. Roaming the old town of Malaga, I also found that the city had well preserved Gothic, Baroque and Mudejar architecture, together with the exquisite Alcazava and cathedrals. It is no wonder that travel books introduce Malaga as a “city of jubilation.”

I was also enchanted by the irresistibly delicious Spanish cuisine, beautiful weather, and friendly people. The fact that Malaga is the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and Antonio Banderas delighted me too. Furthermore, Malaga is geographically well located. The famous Alhambra palace in Granada is nearby, and from Malaga, you can easily get to other famous cities, such as Cordoba, Seville and Toledo.

Most of all, I loved Malaga because I could see the harmony and reconciliation of Christian and Islamic cultures there. In many other parts of the world, the two cultures are archenemies, but in Malaga, their cultural influences co-exist peacefully and flourish together. My wife liked it so much that she told me that it was her wish to make our geographically disparate family, living in different countries, gather in Malaga and spend some time there together.

Recently, I came across a fascinating travelogue titled “Laugh, Learn and Love Together: Four Sisters’ Journey to Spain” by the renowned Korean literary critic Kang In-sook, who is a professor emeritus at Konkuk University. In her intriguing book, Professor Kang, too, wrote that Spain was an ideal place for a family reunion for her four sisters who had lived in different countries for a long time. Among the Spanish cities she had visited, Professor Kang particularly liked Malaga and wrote, “I wish I could come again to Malaga later and live in this blessed city for some time, but this was not feasible. Thus, I had to return to the country of heavy rainfall and freezing cold weather, which God gave me as my homeland.”

While reading her mesmerizing book, I found that both professor Kang and I liked Spain for the same reason: the fabulous harmony between Christian and Islamic cultures. Calling Spain “A Furnace of Different Cultures,” she wrote that, in terms of religion, Spain was not known to be tolerant of those whom they perceived as heathens, but culture-wise, Spain was impressively generous with other cultures, whether they were Islamic or Jewish. True, the notorious Spanish Inquisition lasted until the early 19th century, but Spain has embraced Islamic and Jewish cultures throughout its history.

The Muslim sultans in Spain, too, adopted a flexible policy to give generous incentives and rewards to the Christians who converted to Islam. Instead of persecuting Christians, they encouraged them to convert. During the "Reconquista," Queen Isabella chose not to destroy the Alhambra Palace. Those were the times when Spain was one of the most powerful countries on earth.

Regrettably, Spain began declining later when it began the mass deportation of Jews and Muslims. Since many Jewish people attained prominent positions in the financial markets and many Muslims were engaged in farming, the mass deportations caused a financial crisis and the collapse of agriculture in Spain. Thus, the ensuing decline of Spain was inevitable. Consequently, the power of Spain faltered and diminished in the international community.

When in Seville, professor Kang did not omit to take in a Flamenco performance. Experts point out that Flamenco, too, reflects Islamic musical tones. In Cordoba, professor Kang, just like me, was enchanted by the exquisite but bold mixture of cathedrals and Islamic mosques, which can be found only in Spain. Although Spain is a Catholic country, it has traditionally embraced Islamic culture and architecture, which has made Spain both an attractive place to visit and a nostalgic place to reminisce about, making visitors want to return again in the future. Undoubtedly, that is the unique charm of Malaga, as well.

We wish South Korea could also learn from the magnanimity and tolerance of the Spanish toward other people and other cultures. Then, like Spain, South Korea could be a fabulous place that enchants foreign visitors, a place to have a family reunion, to recall with nostalgia -- a place that draws tourists back again.

Kim Seong-kon

Kim Seong-kon is a professor emeritus of English at Seoul National University and a visiting scholar at Dartmouth College. The views expressed here are the writer’s own. -- Ed.