Adralés
Encyclopedia
Adralés is one of 54 parishes in Cangas del Narcea
, a municipality
within the province and autonomous community
of Asturias
, in northern Spain
. The parish consists of three villages: Adralés, Villar de Adralés and El Altu Santarvás. The village of Adralés is three kilometres southeast of the capital of Cangas del Narcea.
The economy of Adralés has always been based primarily on cattle farming. Due to the village's proximity to the town of Cangas del Narcea, farmers from Adralés have always been present at its markets and were even able to supply it with milk, whereas most villages of the municipality only raised cattle for their meat as they were unable to transport or preserve milk. At present most inhabitants of Adralés are retired farmers or young people who work in Cangas.
In previous centuries many people emigrated to Cuba
and the Philippines
from this area. In fact, "Adrales" is a common surname in the Philippines, originating from this Asturian province.
Throughout the 19th century and continuing until the 1970s, Adralés lost most of its population to emigration
. Most emigrants made their way to Madrid
as night watchmen. A considerable number emigrated to Argentina
and Venezuela
, while in the 60s and 70s almost every household in the village had sent one of its members to Switzerland
.
Aurelio Ordás Rodríguez (1942- ), founder and three-time president of the Asturian Centre in Basel, Switzerland and local director of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
in Basel. Emigrated to France
in 1961 and later to Switzerland. He was also the director of other Spanish immigrant associations in Switzerland.
Daniel Ordás Menéndez (1974- ), son of Aurelio Ordás Rodríguez, lawyer and secretary general of the SSWP in Switzerland from 2001 to 2004; ex-member of the Executive Commission of the Federation of the SSWP in Europe; member of the Federal Committee of the SSWP; founder and president of the Association of Spanish Employers and Freelancers in Switzerland.
Cangas del Narcea
Cangas del Narcea is the oldest municipality in the Principality of Asturias in Spain. It is also the largest municipality in Asturias. It is in the southwest of Asturias, on the Asturian border with León...
, a municipality
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
within the province and autonomous community
Autonomous communities of Spain
An autonomous community In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian .*Galician .*Basque . The second article of the constitution recognizes the rights of "nationalities and regions" to self-government and declares the "indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation".Political power in Spain is...
of Asturias
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
, in northern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. The parish consists of three villages: Adralés, Villar de Adralés and El Altu Santarvás. The village of Adralés is three kilometres southeast of the capital of Cangas del Narcea.
The economy of Adralés has always been based primarily on cattle farming. Due to the village's proximity to the town of Cangas del Narcea, farmers from Adralés have always been present at its markets and were even able to supply it with milk, whereas most villages of the municipality only raised cattle for their meat as they were unable to transport or preserve milk. At present most inhabitants of Adralés are retired farmers or young people who work in Cangas.
In previous centuries many people emigrated to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
from this area. In fact, "Adrales" is a common surname in the Philippines, originating from this Asturian province.
Throughout the 19th century and continuing until the 1970s, Adralés lost most of its population to emigration
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
. Most emigrants made their way to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
as night watchmen. A considerable number emigrated to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, while in the 60s and 70s almost every household in the village had sent one of its members to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Famous inhabitants
José Calvo Martínez, secretary general of the Unión de Campesinos Asturianos (Union of Asturian Farmworkers) since 1995Aurelio Ordás Rodríguez (1942- ), founder and three-time president of the Asturian Centre in Basel, Switzerland and local director of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
in Basel. Emigrated to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1961 and later to Switzerland. He was also the director of other Spanish immigrant associations in Switzerland.
Daniel Ordás Menéndez (1974- ), son of Aurelio Ordás Rodríguez, lawyer and secretary general of the SSWP in Switzerland from 2001 to 2004; ex-member of the Executive Commission of the Federation of the SSWP in Europe; member of the Federal Committee of the SSWP; founder and president of the Association of Spanish Employers and Freelancers in Switzerland.