Family
As in Spain in general, the family is a very important concept in the archipelago. Solidarity and mutual aid are de rigueur within the same clan. The children are the kings, but the older ones, who are often highly respected, instill certain values in them. In Formentera, as in the rest of the archipelago, the family structure is still traditional and it is not uncommon to see several generations living together under the same roof. Young people, even when they are working, sometimes stay with their parents until they are married.
In fact, many businesses remain family-owned and know-how is passed down from generation to generation: everyone has their place, whether in service companies or restaurants. The same is true for first names: the eldest child is usually given the name of the father or mother, or the grandparents. And if it is not directly taken from the family tree, as in the Spanish mainland, religion still has a great influence on the choice of names. There are many Maria, Jesús or Josep on Formentera.
Place of the woman
Along with the great political and cultural revolution of the post-dictatorship period, the situation of women has changed a lot. Before the fall of Franco's regime, women were assigned to the three C's: the kitchen, the kids and the priest. Today, most of them live relatively late with their parents, are much better educated than their mothers, and therefore marry later (the average age of first marriage has risen from 24 to 30 in one generation). Their labor force participation rate is increasing by an average of one point per year, although the gender wage gap remains very wide.
In 2014, a bill banning abortion for women rocked public opinion. Triggering strong opposition nationally, internationally and even within the PP, the bill was withdrawn shortly after it was proposed. In 2015, however, Mariano Rajoy passed a law banning abortion for minors without parental consent. That same year, the first woman was also elected president of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in the person of Francina Armengol.
On the LGTBQ side, Formentera being a land of tolerance and taking advantage of the position of choice occupied by Ibiza for the gay community, the latter is welcome on the small island. Note that same-sex marriage is legal in Spain since 2005.
Festivities
The liturgical calendar has long been the unifying element of the social life of the islanders. Very often, the festivities celebrate a particular saint, such as St. Jaume or St. Carmen. It is during these events that the majority of the villagers gather in the parishes. In front of the churches, traditional dances are performed. For the occasion, the young people dress up in their best clothes and the celebration continues in the streets or in the family sphere of the private houses, with games, dances and popular songs. It is also an opportunity to get together with friends, neighbors and, of course, family. The festivities of the liturgical calendar have lasted until today and the inhabitants of the island remain very attached to their secular traditions. The most important traditional celebrations in Formentera are: St. John's Day (June 24), the Virgen del Carmen (July 16), Sant Jaume (July 25), Santa Maria (August 5), the Día de la Virgen del Pilar (October 12) and Sant Francesc Xavier (December 3).
