Blas Infante. Malagueño ilustre

Revered as the 'Father of Andalucia', Blas Infante is hailed as a distinguished son of Málaga across the entire province and beyond

Blas Infante Pérez de Vargas (Casares, Málaga, 5th July 1885 - Sevilla, 11th August 1936) was a notary and Spanish politician, officially recognised by the Congress of Deputies and the Parliament of Andalucía as the 'Father of the Andalucian Homeland'. He's celebrated for being the leading ideologue of political Andalucianism in all its facets: regionalist, federalist, nationalist, and sympathiser of Georgism.

Blas Infante juggled the roles of a notary, historian, anthropologist, musicologist, writer, and journalist. Numerous books of his were published in his lifetime, as well as posthumously. Besides, countless unpublished manuscripts of his survive. The Andalucian Study Centre Foundation of the Junta de Andalucía, acquired Blas Infante's house in Coria del Río in 2001, turning it into a house-museum as part of Andalucian historical and cultural heritage. He's honoured annually every 28th of February, marking the celebration of Andalucía Day.

“Since childhood, I've been haunted by the gloomy vision of the day labourer. I've seen him wandering hungry through the village streets”

In 1933, he proposed that the melody of the religious hymn 'Santo Dios', a song sung by harvesters from some Andalucian towns at dawn or dusk, should become the Anthem of Andalucía, by adapting the lyrics to a text of his own. This anthem, along with the flag and coat of arms chosen at the Ronda Assembly of 1918, are currently the official symbols of Andalucía, as stated in Article 6.2 of the Andalucía Autonomy Statute of 1981, reformed in 2007. In 2002, with the support of the Junta de Andalucía, a film about the life of Blas Infante titled 'A Singular Passion', written and directed by Antonio Gonzalo and starring actor Daniel Freire, premiered.

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