“Hispania” was the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula just like “Britannia” was the Roman name for the British Isles.
Gold aureus of Roman Emperor Hadrian honoring his birthplace, Hispania
In regards to Brazil not having any Moorish influence because it weas settled by Portugal, that is putting too much stock on modern borders. Asturias in northern Spain was never conquered by the Moors and Galicia was briefly conquered but central and southern Portugal were under Moorish rule for quite some time.
The 1973 Webster’s Dictionary defines Hispanic as: Adj [Latin “hispanicus” from “Hispania” Iberian peninsula, Spain]: of or relating to the people, speech or culture of Spain, Spain and Portugal or Latin America.”
In the Iberian History Mailing List ESPORA-L a few years ago, (a trilingual**English-Spanish-Portuguese** forum composed not only of Americans but also Spaniards and Portuguese) a thread discussed the "Spanish Armada". A Portuguese history professor, living in Portugal and writing in Portuguese, argued that the proper title should be the "Hispanic Armada" since Portugal and Spain were under the same Crown at the time and many Portuguese ships were involved. The Portuguese professor correctly pointed out that "Hispania" is the classic term for the entire Iberian peninsula and not just what is now Spain.
When a Portuguese uses the term "Luso", he is referring to Lusitania which was one of the Roman provincial division within the whole of Hispania. When a Portuguese uses the term "Hispano", he is referring to the entire Iberian peninsula.
When a Castillian uses the term "Hispano" he is usually claiming the name solely for modern-day Spain in general and Castilla in particular much to the annoyance of the Portuguese, Catalans, Galicians and Basques.
When an American uses the term "Hispanic", he is usually referring to a Mexican of predominantly Meso-American Indian ancestry and will go so far as to say that white Spaniards are not really "Hispanic".
When a Mexican in Mexico uses the word "Hispano", he is referring to a European Spaniard.
If anyone has a claim to the name “Hispanic” it is a Spaniard or Portuguese from the Iberian Peninsula and, in Latin America, that is exactly what the term “Hispano” mean, something with a direct relationship to Iberia. A European Spanish bank doing business in Mexico or elsewhere in the world would call itself “Hispano”. For example: Santander Central Hispano.
In Mexico, individuals who still bears a huge chip on their shoulder that his Indian ancestors were conquered by Spain would go ballistic if you called them “Hispanos” just as Irish Republicans would go ballistic if you called them “British”.
“Hispania”, like “Britannia” has a proud history. Hispania was part of Roman civilization 200 years before the British Isles were ever civilized. Hispania produced the two “Good Emperors” Trajan and Hadrian. Yet, Politically Correct speech has stripped the ancient title of Hispania from Iberia.
There is no “Hispanic” race any more than there is a “Britannic” race.
My own family has it’s roots in Galicia and Asturias the ancient Celtic areas of northern Spain by way of Cuba for a few generations. My great-grandfather, my grandfather, my father, myself and my children were all born blond and blue-eyed as were their ancestors since before they ever came in contact with the Romans 2100 years ago. However, so-called “Anglos” now label me “Hispanic” because I was born in Cuba and have a Spanish surname and declare that I am no longer white.
What’s up with that?
If you note, in ”I Love Lucy”, Ricky Ricardo never referred to himself as “Hispanic”. He referred to himself as “Cuban”.
Much confusion would be avoided if so-called “Anglos” adopted the Politically Incorrect Cuban habit of saying what you mean and meaning what you say.
For example, Cubans would ethnically and racially classify the following individuals as follows:
Celia Cruz: Cubana Negra (Cuban Black)
Daisy Fuentes: Cubana Blanca (Cuban White)
Jennifer Lopez: Puertoriqueña Mulata (Puerto Rican Mulata)
Edgar Martinez: Puertoriqueña Blanco (Puerto Rican White)
Cesar Chavez: Mexicano Mestizo (Mexican Mestizo)
Peruvian ex-President Alberto Fujimori: Peruano Chino (Peruvian Asian) Yes, I know, he is Japanese and not Chinese. But, in Politically Incorrect Cubanese, every Asian is a "Chino".
