How much Moorish influence is there in Spain, really? I'm aware of the history. So pls don't copy text from

Question

wikipedia and such. But is the influence of the Moors still apparent in the ppl themselves (their physical looks) as well as in their customs, religion and overall culture?

Answer 1

I dont know so much of customs and culture, having never been to spain, but if you look at spanish facial features its pretty evident of the morish influence. I'm part spanish and i have the broader nose and bigger lips, my family says its because were really morish decent. hope this helps.

Answer 2

Latest gentic studies shows that the genetic flow from north africa to Spain varies between a 12% and 4% depending on the region. So, physical looks can be very different, from moorish resemblance to nordic features. Anyhow, as Spaniard living in Morocco I can assure you that the physical appereance is wider than the length of the straight of Gibraltar. Culturally it remains all the splendour of the muslim architecture, from the mezquita of Cordoba to Alhambra palace in Granada. You will not see any other cultural influence but for oposition, like using pork for everithing. Religion in Spain has no resemblance of their muslim past, being nominally Catholic, Spain is nowadays a secular sociaty in which few attend to mass and exist a big minority of non-belivers.
It must be consider that once that muslim influence over spain was finished the persecution was terrible, with the expulsion of more than 200.000 muslims and Jews in XVI century (5% of the total population in Spain), that the freedom of religion was completely abolished, that even converted ones were separated, and in a lot of ocasions murdered, so is not extrange that no cultural trace has remained until today, excepting what is related to arts. In music, roots of flamenco could be traced to that period, though is not sure.
Influence for oposition can be also found in the scenography of local holidays like "moors and christians" were its always represented any victory of the christians against the moors. Maybe some part of the former strong catholicism of spaniards had an answer also on that period.
There is an obvious influence in the language, with more than 4.000 words in spanish coming from arabic. Or in the phonetics, like the sound j (kh in arabic).

In the food, in some places of andalucia and murcia you can find the utilization of kourkuma which is a traditional bereber spice.

Answer 3

me, me me!!! I'm Portuguese. Dark hair, darker tone complexion. It's all over our architecture, like castles and monastaries even built long after they were out of Portugal. Not sure about religion...Portuguese and Spanish people tend to be catholics. Listen to the spanish guitar music lots in common with Arabian music (I lived in Spain too).