La mirada insertada de la Asturias rural

Abstract

In April 2023 I conducted an interview with my grandfather, Celestino Braga Fanjul, about his childhood and everyday life in rural Asturias, Spain, trying to capture a sketch of the world he inhabited in his youth. While the starting point was an investigation into social relations in the traditional Asturian community and the interaction between villagers and their surrounding environment, topics such as children's leisure time, the techniques, tools and vocabulary surrounding the sowing of crops, or the gradual introduction of technology into rural society were also addressed. The importance of accounting for these experiences is an exercise in historical-narrative reason that allows us to understand the social, ecological, cultural and economic changes that took place in Asturias in the 20th century, similar to that which took place in so many other parts of the world. Losing the testimonies around the disappearance of these livelihoods prevents us from recognising the change that took place and, therefore, undermines our ability to imagine alternative presents.