Castile-La Manchaa region rich in history and culture, offers a series of curiosities that highlight its uniqueness. Its vast territory of 79,463 km², slightly larger than the Czech Republic, is home to a population of close to two million inhabitants, comparable to that of Slovenia. This community has witnessed the passage of nine different civilizationsfrom the Carpetan Celts to the contemporary Spanish, with a brief French occupation in the early 19th century.
Among its natural wonders, Castilla-La Mancha stands out for its extensive agricultural productionwith 55,000 hectares dedicated to the cultivation of vegetables and flowers, and 389,565 hectares of olive trees that produce a large amount of oil. Also notable is the variety of regional names for windslike abrego and matacabras. The curious and old word they use in Toledo to refer to the bus, “katanga”, is another example of how the local dialect It maintains peculiarities that are often incomprehensible to the rest of the country.
The curious word that is only used in Toledo
@ser0noserr 😱 IN TOLEDO THERE IS NO BUS THERE IS KATANGA @unautoledo does not sponsor this video 🤣 #ToledoBus Where does this curious word come from? Well, it turns out that the bus service in Toledo was inaugurated in the 1960s, just when the Katanga war was taking place in the Congo. The bus thing in Toledo was a revolution and since we are like that and we see something new, we go headlong, because everyone wanted to get on the bus. And of course that was such a big deal that people started saying: This is worse than the Katanga war! #reel #like #love #Toledo #bus #spain #castillalamancha #leisure #culture #bus #katanga ♬ original sound – ser0noser
In Spain, the linguistic richness reflects the influence of various civilizations throughout history, giving rise to a variety of languages and dialects. This evolution has led to Spanish, in addition to its regional variants, also presenting unique terms in different places. A fascinating example of this particularity is found in Toledo, where the bus is known by a distinctive name: “katanga”.
The word “katanga” originated in 1960scoinciding with the Katanga war in the Congo. During that time, bus service was introduced in Toledo, and its arrival was so shocking that people began to compare the chaos associated with the new buses to the conflict in the Congo. Thus, the term “katanga” became popular to refer to these public transport vehicles. This name, which may seem strange to outsiders, has remained in the city despite the passage of time.
Toledo’s first buses, called “katanga”, were dark blue with white roofs. This model lasted until the 1980s, when the transportation company changed its name to «Union of Urban Buses and Microbuses of Toledo» (UNAUTO) and repainted the vehicles yellow. Although the term “katanga” has declined in use, it remains a curious linguistic anecdote that reflects the local history of the imperial city.
La Mancha expressions
In Castilla-La Mancha, the “El Bienhablao” dictionary includes a repertoire of terms that reflect the essence of La Manchuela. These words, some of which have become famous throughout Spain, offer a fascinating insight into local culture.
One of the most characteristic expressions is «achicharrao»which describes someone who is hot or sunburned. For example, it can be used to warn someone about extreme heat: “Don’t stay on the terrace at mealtime, it’s scorching hot.” Another relevant term is “bacín”, which refers to a nosy or annoying person, as in the case of someone who is always in the middle of other people’s affairs: “I can’t stand Marta, she is a potty who doesn’t stop gossiping about everyone.” ».
“Ungrateful” is another interesting word, used to describe someone who is ungrateful or rude, who despises what is offered to them. An example would be: “We offered him a coffee and he didn’t even accept it; what a disappointment it is. For its part, “hare-wearer” refers to a person who, due to his insistence, becomes tiring: “With Luis, always insisting, the meeting becomes a total bore.”
Expressions like «sagato»which denotes the lingering smell of clothing after being near a bonfire, and “rechisquero,” which describes the suffocating heat of midday, are emblematic of La Mancha speech. Also, “stranger” is used to refer to a person from the outside, as in: “We saw a lot of strangers at the fair this year.” “Viruji” describes a cold and icy wind, like when it is said: “Don’t go out without a coat, because with the viruji it’s like you’re going to freeze.”
These expressions reflect the cultural and linguistic wealth of Castilla-La Manchamaking its words an integral part of the regional heritage
