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Bon Dia!
Love from Catalunya
Every Canyas can has an illustration that acts as a postcard, sharing a snapshot of Catalan life or culture.
We are driven to help foreigners understand more about Catalunya. There is so much more to this wonderful place and fascinating culture than the typical landmarks and abundant hospitality.
So, come on a journey with us.
Get inspired by the values and rituals woven into everyday life, the rich cultural history that has evolved over centuries or, in many cases, over millennia.
Our Educational Pillars
This page is a living page and will grow with time. These four pillars will guide how we categorise and promote Catalunya.
Foreword
Catalunya occupies the north‑eastern corner of the Iberian Peninsula and has its own language, a fascinating history and distinctive traditions. Catalan people are known for their creativity, and their fiercely proud, independent spirit.
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Catalan is a co‑official language used in schools and public life, and locals often signal their identity (and, at times, their dissent) by hanging independence flags from balconies. To tackle this subject honestly, I feel we must acknowledge this palpable political tension between Catalunya and Spain. Brands tend to avoid topics 'too dangerous to touch'; I understand why brands do it, but I don't like it - it feels dishonest.
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The present only makes sense in the context of the past, doesn't it?
The Catalan Independence movement reached a boiling point recently, and many believe the Spanish government were heavy handed in their response. Some police brutality, for example, is well documented and difficult to watch. In discussing this topic, let me acknowledge we are likely to get things wrong and upset a few people; all I can say is that we'll do our best to tackle this rich but sensitive topic with respect and tact.
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​As a New Zealander, I've watched how the Maori (the indigenous people of 'Aotearoa'), and Pakeha (colonial descendants like me), have worked together to improve their co-existence. ​
It's not a perfect comparison; however, Maori speak Maori, fly a Maori flag, and there is dissent among Maori about how they are ruled. Land, treaty, and racially driven disputes are a part of modern life in New Zealand, and yet cohesion and national identity have improved greatly in just 20 years - I've personally witnessed it. How?
Peaceful co-existence, without doubt, comes from patience, respect and dialogue. From what I've observed, successful co-existence is achieved only when our differences are not just tolerated, but in fact are celebrated. Today, many Pakeha are proud to be part of a Maori-shaped identity and most speak a few Maori words (even if they are not Maori).
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Catalunya has kept its ancient and unique cultural traits and culturally distinct practices alive despite all the tension. And I argue that Spain should be proud of this! Spain should promote what makes Catalan (and Galician, Andalusian, Basque, and Castilian) culture unique and they should show it off as a part of Spanish identity. Different, but a part. Separate, but together.
Catalunya is a warm and interesting place surrounded by an impressive natural environment, it's a place I feel privileged to call home, and it's a place I hope you'll join the Canyas team in discovering more about. ​
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- Alex Carruthers, Canyas Founder
Catalan Castells - 'human towers'
Castells are truly breathtaking to witness. Emotional, even.
Human towers rise up to five stories above the street, layer by layer, in a living symbol of unity. It usually takes a team 2-3 attempts to get the foundation sturdy enough before they send the top layers climbers up (who are children, by the way).
Local teams ('colles') compete, each combining strength, unity, balance, courage, and trust, before the last (smallest) child climb reaches the very top and raises a hand in triumph.
Elder past teammates wear their old uniforms as they watch on.
There's just something about them, Castells stir your emotions.
Our Can Illustrations
Every can is a postcard from Catalunya. We could think of no better way to communicate the artisanal nature of our craft beer, along with the collaborative spirit that binds our breweries together, than to share a few slices of Catalan culture with you.
Themes
Below we’ll showcase each of our cans, adding designs as they’re created. Each one draws on one or more of these three themes, celebrating the most spectacular aspects of Catalan life.
Concepts
Concepts can be hard to put into words, especially when direct translations don't exist. They tend to capture something ineffable, something that can only be absorbed once you're here.
Places and Activities
This theme is fairly self-explanatory.
Interesting and unique architecture, sculptures, art, movements, festivals, rituals, traditions, and so on.
There's a lot to choose from!
Language
We wholeheartedly believe that language is the key that unlocks the headspace of another culture. Even nations that speak the same language, like English, speak it so differently it reveals something inherent about them.
Sandy Lion
Xino-xano, Sobretaula along the promenade
We've tried to pack a lot into this design!
For a start, there's the beachside parade representing the 5km of beach along Barcelona's coast - Barcelona is the capital of Catalunya. 'Xino-xano' simply means to take time with what you're doing, or with life. It captures the concept of being unhurried.
Then there's the juxtaposition of the young and the old, representing a statistically ageing city which at the same time feels incredibly youthful.
Then, of course, there's the beloved ritual of 'menjar al carrer', the act of eating on the street. And, of course, Sobretaula: describing how dinner is customarily only considered 'done' once the conversation is finished, and to some chagrin of restauranteurs, nothing to do with when the food has been eaten.
Kom-Beer-Cha
Rose and book giving at festival Sant Jordi
One of the most beautiful and visually stunning days for modern tourists to witness is that of Sant Jordi, or Saint George's Day.
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Entire streets are cramped with endless small pop-up shops that sell only one of two things: books or roses. It's bewildering to see so many people sell the same thing. Almost every person you pass holds one of these two objects. Some beaming young women hold bouquets.
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Traditionally, men are given books by their partners, and women are given roses. Like every Romantic culture, the language assigns gender to every person and thing, and yet modern variants of gender identity and dating (for which Barcelona is a famous hotspot) have adapted these traditions to fit today's norms.
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Here, we show two women, who may or may not be together, one holding a rose and the other a book.
Sunset Passion
The Ball de Bastons
One of the oddest sights for an outsider to stumble upon in Catalonia is Ball de Bastons — literally, the “stick dance.”
Rows of men and women in white trousers and colourful sashes crash wooden sticks against one another with a rhythm that seems halfway between choreography and combat. The crack of wood on wood echoes through narrow streets, at first alarming, then oddly hypnotic.
Historically, it’s said to come from farmers training for battle or from warriors disguising their fighting drills as folk dance.
Today, it feels more like a mash-up of martial art and village celebration. Here, we show a few dancers mid-swing, frozen in the instant before impact, their faces lit up with the joy of playing at war.
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What a beautiful contradiction.
Sunlight Lager
Castells
What more needs saying about the Castell?
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Human castles (castells) are a living tradition (tradició viva) in Catalunya, built on strength (força), the unity of the team (colla), and the deep trust (complicitat) that binds them together.
