Government, Culture & Cuisine – Graubünden – Citizenship Test

Grosser Rat (Grand Council) - 120 members:

• Largest cantonal parliament in Switzerland
• Elected every 4 years by proportional representation
• Represents all three language communities
• Trilingual proceedings (German, Romansh, Italian)
• Simultaneous translation provided
• Members can speak in whichever of the three languages they prefer

Regierung (Executive Council) - 5 members:

• Elected by majority system (not proportional)
• Each member heads a department
• President rotates annually among members
• Represents canton nationally

Municipalities:

• 100 municipalities (Gemeinden/comuni/vischnancas)
• Most municipalities of any Swiss canton
• Organized into 11 regions (for administration)
• Strong local autonomy tradition (from Three Leagues)

Direct Democracy:

• 3'000 signatures for referendum (challenge laws)
• 4'000 signatures for initiative (propose laws)
• Active citizen participation

Magical Romansh tradition:

What is Chalandamarz?:

• March 1st spring festival
• Celebrated in Romansh villages (especially Engadine)
• Boys parade through streets ringing huge cowbells
• Wearing traditional costumes
• Singing Romansh songs
• Going door-to-door collecting gifts

Purpose:

• Chase away winter and welcome spring
• Loud bells supposed to scare away winter spirits
• Bless houses for coming year
• Ancient pre-Christian spring ritual adapted to Christian context

Traditions:

• Elaborate costumes vary by village
• Special songs in Romansh
• "Plazz" - decorated banners
• Money or sweets collected
• Festive community meal ends day

Cultural Significance:

• Keeps Romansh culture alive for new generations
• Unique to Romansh-speaking areas
• Major tourist attraction
• Symbol of Romansh identity

Famous Graubünden Specialties:

Capuns:

• Traditional Romansh dish
• Spätzle dough mixed with dried meat (Bündnerfleisch)
• Wrapped in chard or spinach leaves
• Cooked in milk/cream
• Comfort food for cold winters
• Each valley has variations

Engadiner Nusstorte (Engadine Nut Cake):

• Famous pastry from Engadine valley
• Caramelized walnuts in shortcrust pastry
• Sweet, rich filling
• Originally from S-chanf village
• Now sold throughout Switzerland
• Each bakery has own recipe

Bündnerfleisch:

• Air-dried beef (Protected Geographic Indication)
• Thinly sliced, served as appetizer
• Made from beef leg
• Dried in Alpine air
• Salty, intense flavor
• Export product (famous Swiss charcuterie)

Maluns:

• Grated potato dish
• Fried/baked with flour
• Served with cheese, compote
• Simple traditional food

Other:

• Pizzoccheri (buckwheat pasta, from Valtellina but popular here)
• Mountain schnapps (fruit brandies)

Engadine Houses - Sgraffito Decorations:

What is Sgraffito?:

• Renaissance artistic technique
• Two layers of plaster in different colors
• Top layer scratched away while wet
• Bottom color revealed creates designs
• Intricate geometric patterns, coats of arms, scenes

Engadine Application:

• Decorates many historic Engadine houses
• Especially in villages like Guarda, Ardez
• Turns buildings into art
• Symbols of family identity and status
• Preserved and maintained today

Engadine House Architecture:

• Spacious farmhouses
• Stone ground floor, wooden upper floors
• Large windows for light
• Decorated with sgraffito
• Built to withstand harsh Alpine winters

Cultural Preservation:

• Romansh language preservation efforts
• Traditional festivals maintained
• Historic houses protected
• Tourism supports preservation

Modern Adaptation:

• Old houses renovated for modern living
• Traditions adapted to contemporary life
• Balance between preservation and progress

Tourism - Dominant Economic Sector:

Winter Tourism:

• Skiing, snowboarding, winter sports
• St. Moritz, Davos, Klosters, Arosa, Laax, etc.
• Luxury and mid-range resorts
• Employment for thousands

Summer Tourism:

• Hiking, biking, wellness
• Mountain activities
• Scenic train rides (Bernina, Glacier Express)
• Nature tourism (Swiss National Park)

Year-Round:

• Wellness and spa tourism
• Conference tourism (Davos WEF)
• Health tourism
• Tourism revenue: billions annually

Other Sectors:

• Agriculture (declining but cultural - Alpine farming, Bündnerfleisch)
• Hydroelectric power (major producer, exports electricity)
• Construction (tourist infrastructure)
• Services (retail, hospitality, healthcare)

Challenges:

• Dependence on tourism (climate change threat)
• Seasonality (winter peak)
• Housing costs (second homes)
• Balancing development and conservation
• Population decline in remote valleys