Heritage The Asturians have
Celtic (
Astures) and
Latin cultural origins, most notably found in the Asturian language.
Religion Asturians' religious affiliation is predominantly
Roman Catholic. The Catholic faith has historically been important to Asturians, as the
Battle of Covadonga and the founding of an independent
Asturian Kingdom by
Pelayo were believed to have been because Pelayo prayed to a statue of the
Virgin Mary in a cave before his victory in battle. Believing that Mary miraculously aided the Asturians in the battle,
a shrine was set up in her honour in Covadonga. Prior to their Christianization, Asturians followed a polytheistic Celtic religion. Many elements of this faith have survived in the form of Asturian mythological creatures and folkloric legends told today.
Languages Throughout history, Asturian people have been subject to multiple
language shifts. They originally spoke a
Q-Celtic language, similar to that of the neighbouring
Gallaeci people. However, due to the
Roman conquest of Asturias, the language became replaced with the modern Asturian language, also known as
bable, which is a
Romance language. Since few records of the original Celtic language remain, it cannot be revived and has gone extinct. The
Asturian language, once also widely spoken by Asturians, has been in decline since the early 20th century, although around 40% of Asturians still speak the language (10% as a mother tongue). As Asturias is presently part of Spain, language shift toward
Castilian Spanish continues to occur. Whilst not recognized as an official language in Spain, it is protected under the Autonomous Statute legislation, and efforts to preserve the language continue to be made. In the western part of
Asturias,
Eonavian (which is a transition language between
Galician and
Asturian) is also spoken, and its promotion also falls under the responsibility of Law 1/1998.
Cuisine The most famous traditional dish is
Fabada Asturiana, a rich
stew made with large white
beans (
fabes),
pork shoulder (
llacón),
morciella,
chorizu, and
saffron (
azafrán).
Apple groves foster the production of the traditional alcoholic drink, a natural
cider (
sidra). It is a very dry cider, and unlike French or English natural ciders, uses predominantly acidic apples, rather than sweet or bittersweet. Sidra is traditionally poured in by an expert server (or
escanciador): the bottle is raised high above his or her head to oxygenate the brew as it moves into the glass below.
Music The Danza Prima is the most famous Asturian dance. The most characteristic instrument is the
gaita asturiana, or Asturian bagpipe. Similar bagpipes can be found in neighbouring regions such as
Cantabria and
Galicia. == Emigration ==