Description
In 2021 Vilanova i la Geltrú Town Council commissioned historians Mònica Álvarez and Eduard Rama to carry out a study on the city ’ s Indian heritage : “ El fenomen indià a Vilanova i la Geltrú . Patrimoni cultural i espai public ” [ in English , “ The Indian Phenomenon in Vilanova i la Geltrú . Cultural Heritage and the Public Space ”]. The study counted 116 heritage elements related to the Indians , people who had become rich in the Spanish colonies in America and who returned to their towns of origin reinvesting their capital and promoting notable business and charitable projects . However , many Indians had a close relationship with slavery and the slave trade , which developed mainly during the 19th century , especially during the illegal period . This relationship was not only due to their participation in the colonial world in Cuba and Puerto Rico , but also because many of them became wealthy directly from the trafficking and exploitation of enslaved Africans .
The study by Álvarez and Rama showed that some of the heritage elements presented were strictly related to people who were involved in slavery . When the study was presented to the town ’ s Historical Memory Committee , the latter promoted an initiative that consisted of placing information panels next to the street names occupied by recognised slave traders-Indians such as Salvador Samà , explaining the participation of these individuals in slavery and the slave trade .
For the moment , the initiative has been limited to one single slave trader , Salvador Samà , despite the fact that some municipal groups were calling for a strict change in the nomenclature and not just the installation of information panels .
Links and sources :
Vilanova i la Geltrú Town Council . “ Les plaques del nom de la rambla de Salvador Samà s ' acompanyen d ' un text sobre la relació d ' aquest personatge amb l ' esclavisme ”, ( March 23 , 2023 ). https :// www . vilanova . cat / noticies / detall ? id = 99996881 Article in Canalblau . “ L ’ Ajuntament de Vilanova i la Geltrú instal · la rètols informatius sobre la relació de Salvador Samà amb l ’ esclavatge per acompanyar les seves plaques de carrer ”, ( March 23 , 2023 ). https :// canalblau . tv / 2023 / 03 / 23 / lajuntament-de-vilanova-i-la-geltruinstalla-retols-informatius-sobre-la-relacio-de-salvador-sama-amb-lesclavatge-peracompanyar-les-seves-plaques-de-carrer /
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