Spain stamp to feature Balearic dance

PALMA
THE Spanish Post Office has brought out a new series of stamps using the country's regional folk dances as its theme. One of the series features the dance known as the Mateixa (above), which originated in the Balearic Islands.

Central Government delegate in the Islands, Ramon Socias (r) and Post Office Area Director, Avelio Antich, yesterday presented the stamp showing the Mateixa at Post Office headquarters in Palma. There will be 450'000 in circulation with a postal value of 0.43 euros.

Through its focus on regional dance, said Antich, the Post Office is contributing to the promotion of cultural values. “The stamps highlight how important these traditions were to our forefathers,” he added.

The Mateixa became part of popular culture in Majorca at the end of the 17th century. It is a dance for pairs of men and women, similar to the “jota”. Other regional dances in the series are: the sevillana; the isa canaria; the bolero, the rueda, the aurresku, the muñeira, the fandango, the seguidillas, the candil the sardana, and the jota.