TERESAS Exhibition in Xàtiva | History & Cultural Exchange
A Flag, a Few Ghosts, and an American Who Had No Idea
By Darcie Khanukayev
“Darcie, wait up! I have an exhibition opening this week. Come, and I’ll give you a tour!” shouted Mar when she saw me step out onto the street. Mar, my little cheery neighbour: always there to help, always smiling and ready with a hug. I went to her show, but I didn’t realise what I was getting into!
Growing up in California, I took certain things for granted: sunshine, avocados and the American flag. We fly our flag everywhere: outside houses, in every school, at sporting events and even printed on beach towels. So imagine my surprise when I discovered that displaying the Spanish flag in Valencia could earn you the label franquista. And that, I realised, wasn’t a good thing. Apparently, I had missed something…
I started putting the missing pieces together when I visited Mar’s exhibition, TERESAS, in Xàtiva. It explores women, feminism and Spain’s struggle for democracy. Mar appeared, all smiles and hugs, and I thought I was in for a cheery, happy evening. But then she began guiding our small group through stories of women who had lost husbands, fathers and sons during the Civil War and Franco’s dictatorship. Women who organised to search for missing loved ones, demanding answers that often never came.
Then something extraordinary happened. The Spaniards in our group began sharing their own family stories. Disappeared relatives. Unanswered questions. Pain passed quietly through generations. Salva, a historian, described how ordinary buildings and familiar places concealed histories of imprisonment and communal graves.
Suddenly, history wasn’t in a textbook. It was standing beside me, and I felt astonishingly young. Not in years, but in understanding. Yes, the USA had its own Civil War, but California had only recently become a state when it began. I’d studied wars and dictatorships, but I had never been part of them. These people beside me had inherited the consequences of their history.
Talking with the group, I began to understand why some Valencians feel more comfortable flying their regional flag than Spain’s national one. To me, a flag often symbolises belonging and celebration. To others, it can awaken painful memories. Of course, not every American or Spaniard sees their flag the same way. But history lives in symbols, and symbols live in memory.
After saying goodbye and receiving more bright, cheery hugs and kisses from Mar, I was left with my thoughts. Cultural exchange isn’t just learning to say patata instead of potato, or discovering that Spaniards eat dinner when Californians are putting on their pyjamas. Sometimes it’s listening long enough to realise how much pain others carry. And having the humility to admit you had no idea.
Quite humbling.
What is the TERESAS exhibition in Xàtiva?
TERESAS: Living Memories of Women in the Feminist Struggle and for Democracy in Spain is an art exhibition exploring women's experiences, historical memory and the fight for democracy. Through personal stories and artistic expression, it highlights the courage of women whose contributions have often been overlooked.
How do personal stories keep Spain's historical memory alive?
Personal stories preserve experiences that history books cannot always capture. During our visit to TERESAS in Xàtiva, members of our bilingual community shared family memories of disappeared relatives, unanswered questions and the lasting effects of the Spanish Civil War and Franco's dictatorship. These conversations brought history to life.
Why does the Spanish flag carry different meanings in Valencia?
For some Valencians, the Spanish flag evokes memories of Francoism, political division and historical suffering, while the Valencian flag, the senyera, represents regional identity and belonging. Others feel differently. These contrasting interpretations show how national symbols can carry different emotional meanings depending on personal and family history.
What can Americans and Spaniards learn through cultural exchange?
Cultural exchange helps people understand the history, traditions and emotions behind another culture. For a Californian accustomed to seeing the American flag as a symbol of celebration and unity, listening to Valencian perspectives revealed a very different relationship with national identity. Experiences like our visit to TERESAS demonstrate that meaningful language learning goes beyond vocabulary: it involves listening, empathy and understanding.
Discover culture beyond the classroom! 🌍💙
At DarKha Academy in Xàtiva, we believe languages are best learned through real conversations, shared experiences and meaningful cultural connections.
Join our bilingual community and discover how much we can learn from one another.
At DarKha, languages aren't just learned… they're LIVED!
Comments