Paper short abstract:

For some visitors to Granadan heritage sites, sharing historical narratives present as much of an economic, social and cultural threat to the state as graffiti taggers and unhoused people. In giving everyday meaning space, these groups’ violations of heritage norms invoke similar coercive responses.

Paper long abstract:

The practices of groups such as graffiti taggers (or grafiteros) and unhoused cave-dwelling people (or okupas) in Granada, Spain, around publicly-accessed heritage structures are often characterised by mainstream groups as disrespecting the cultural value of the site, and as being more socially transgressive than practices of visitors to paid-entry heritage sites like the Alhambra – the Moorish castle. For some visitors, however, sharing alternative historical narratives can present as much of an economic and cultural threat to the state as grafiteros and okupas. Based on ethnographic fieldwork at the Alhambra and in the Moorish neighbourhood of the Albaicin, I compare how the everyday practices of these three subaltern groups give meaning to historical spaces in the present and allow for social and cultural expression of the groups. In the process, they also expose hegemonic narratives about the past and about heritage; the expected social behaviours and visual aesthetics of mainstream groups; and the valuing of heritage over the living conditions of vulnerable groups. Response to this rule-breaking, whether it be tagging political commentary on an 11th century Almohad arch; building a cave-house close to a 14th century Nazarid city wall; or refusing to cease sharing alternative historical narratives to a group of friends, can end up involving law enforcement and possible detention or incarceration. Installation of security cameras and continuous monitoring of behaviour has become common. Nonetheless, these violations of social and cultural norms and rules continue, as they necessarily shape the lives and present-day memory of these groups.