Soller is a City with small town values
Published in the Majorca Daily Bulletin
Tuesday 11th October 2016
Photographs by Rachel Fox
The debate runs on and on about the status of Soller. For some to define it as a City as King Alphonso did in 1905 is the end of the story. Soller was given this status by his royal decree and remains the City of Soller to this day. The title carries no fiscal or voting rights but was given as an honour to the forward thinking, industrious people of the time. This was a time of great growth and prosperity for the region with its factories and farming making it the second City of Majorca next to Palma. Money was spent on music, culture and beautiful buildings and was the basis of the Soller we know and love today.
The City title is important today for the classification of Soller as the Cultural Centre of the Tramuntana under the UNESCO banner. The best is yet to come as this era in the history of the Soller Valley is only just beginning. The involvement of UNESCO is a slow moving phenomena although we are told that it will eventually bring great benefit to the Tramuntana region.
Many of the new resident arrivals do not like the sound of the City title at all. They thought they were buying into small town values and living. They have often left cities to get here for a completely new experience. This in turn brings its own questions, ‘what is small town living’ being the main one.
Everyone has a view on small town living and it seems to be what you think about when you have done all the practical stuff. At first the housing, paperwork, settling children at school, finding your way round the supermarket seems all consuming. Then there is the endless stream of visitors who simply have to come and take a peak at this place in the sun you have settled into. Then one day the visitors go home, the weather changes and Soller square empties. You are no longer anonymous, in fact, quite the opposite.
November begins the biggest change for the new arrivals. Many businesses have their annual holidays at this time and local people are the people in bars and cafes. They are relaxing after nine months of intensive work and catching up with their friends. The language is 100% Mallorquin and they have switched off from speaking other languages until the visitors return. As a newcomer in the summer you just blended in to the crowds but now your daily appearance around the place identify you as a new arrival. This is a very important moment to get right and can make all the difference in how easy your transition into Soller life is.
It is time to get connected and begin your small town life in all the time honoured traditions. Being connected means joining in and finding out what might interest you locally to introduce yourself to people and the place.
The Soller Valley is a diverse interest melting pot where regular classes are held, concerts performed and exercise in all it forms is enjoyed. Volunteering with local groups is always welcomed. This of course, pre supposes that you want to ‘join’. Not everyone does and there are groups of people who make their own local friends as neighbours or as users of the same cafes. This group would never join an organised group and prefer to develop informal networks. It really doesn’t matter which route you chose but just as local people know you by sight so you do them. This means that a smile, a greeting and a chat is expected.
Almost 50% of the people in Majorca are incomers. They had an arrival date and they felt some of the feelings that todays incomers feel. The easy bit is the practical stuff, the reality is the day to day relationships. This is not an issue for some who chose to buy their fine house and surround it with high fences and gate. It is very real for the majority who live in village houses in streets or apartment blocks.
The City of Soller sounds anonymous by its title but it is not. Every week the rhythm of life is presided over by the calendar of the church. Fiestas, and events occur all the time and invite you to join in, at least as an observer. It is a mistake not to turn up for these regular celebrations of life in the heart of Soller. This is your way of marking your life here and goes alongside your support for local events.
Small town values are very important and just mean that we know who lives here and we watch out for them. The City of Soller welcomes the very many people who have moved here this September. We look forward to meeting you very soon as you begin the walk into our world.
