Canarian emigration to Puerto Rico

Streets in Puerto Rico with architecture so similar to that in the Canary Islands

The first wave of Canarian migration to Puerto Rico appears to have been in 1695, followed by various others throughout the 18th Century. 

The total number of Canarians who migrated to Puerto Rico in the first three centuries of Iberian rule, however, is not known with any accuracy. Even so, Dr. Estela Cifre de Loubriel and other scholars of Canarian migration to America, such as Dr. Manuel González Hernández of the University of La Laguna, Tenerife, agree that they formed the majority of the Jíbaro, or population of white peasants in the mountainous interior of the island. When Canarians arrived in Puerto Rico in the 17th century, they introduced sugar cane. With it, they brought traditions such as the wake and different types of vegetables.

The Puerto Rican Wake

It was tradition that when a person died, a wake was held for one to two days in the home of the deceased along with family and loved ones. The purpose of this wake was to be with the family in the midst of pain, express their condolences and show solidarity in a difficult time. Once buried, the novenas were performed. For nine days after death, prayers and chants were made to ask for the soul of that deceased and his eternal rest. Over the years that tradition has been lost and it is more common for them to choose to hold shorter wakes at funeral homes or in certain cases not hold wakes at all.

In 1695, Juan Fernández Franco de Medina (Soldier, from La Laguna, Tenerife) transferred 20 Canarian families in exchange for the Government of the island (he was Governor between 1695 and 1698). Several families arrived with surnames such as: Marrero, Morales, Vera, Mora, Amador, Correa, Acosta, Osorio, Moya, Alonso, Lorenzo and Martínez among others who remained forever on the island. From that moment waves of emigrants followed one another. 

The Canarians signed a contract before an authorized person who could well be the captain of the ship, through which they were given passage, food, accommodation, clothing and insurance. In exchange, they had between 10 and 20% of their salary deducted. Between 1720 and 1730, 882 Canarians were transferred. 60% were married and the rest were married in Puerto Rico. This meant a spectacular increase in the demographic data of the island.

Map of the 78 municipalities of Puerto Rico

The first Canarians settled in the eastern part of Puerto Rico (Humacao, Yabucoa, Guayama). The growing concentration made possible the foundation, in 1745, of Toa Baja, followed in 1751 by Toa Alta. One of the consignments of Canarians brought many people named “García” to Puerto Rico.

At that time, the peninsular Spaniards occupied the most prominent positions on the island, political positions and of influence. However, they never integrated. When they got enough fortune they would return to Spain. However, the Canarians not only settled but also took root in the new land, providing an exchange of customs with the inhabitants of the island that had welcomed them. 

By 1729 Mayagüez, Añasco and Rincón were established. They founded a hermitage in Mayagüez to Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (now Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Mayagüez, Puerto Rico) and another in Rincón in honor of Santa Rosa. The first image of Candelaria that was worshiped in ancient times in Mayagüez, was dressed similarly to the one in Tenerife. 

On July 19, 1760, Don Faustino Martínez de Matos, presented on behalf of the inhabitants settled on the banks of the Mayagüez River, a request to found the town. It would bear the name of Our Lady of Candelaria on the banks of Mayagüez. On July 30 that year, then governor, Don Esteban Bravo de Rivero, signed the decree that gave way to the town's foundation. And on August 21, 1760, the site was chosen and the residents agreed to build the temple.

Currently, the whites of the country also have mestizaje traits, that is to say that, under genetic tests, they would also carry various percentages of Taíno blood, and Guanche (Canarian aborigine), as well as sub-Saharan Africa.

Emigración canaria a puerto rico | Inmigración española en Puerto Rico

The 7 best hot chocolate cafes in Tenerife

And chocolate has to be accompanied by churros

In an archipelago with temperatures that oscillate between 18 and 24 degrees centigrade throughout the year, when the thermometers go down it's noticeable. In Tenerife - as in the rest of the Canary Islands - homes are not conditioned for the cold and coats are conspicuous by their absence in the closets; except in some specific areas condemned by the microclimates of the island.

Faced with this type of extraordinary situation, one of the most infallible remedies to combat the cold is that of a good cup of the best hot chocolate in Tenerife. 

We share some of the coffee shops with the best hot chocolate in Tenerife:

1. El Buen Paladar. The mythical chocolate with churros from El Buen Paladar is one of the obligatory stops for any visitor who spends a day in one of the World Heritage cities of Spain: San Cristóbal de La Laguna. The cafeteria is located in the old town, specifically, on Calle Tabares de Cala, and there you can taste traditional hot chocolate accompanied by a batch of churros.
2. Tea & Chocolat. The cozy and pleasant atmosphere has made the Tea & Chocolat cafeteria, located in El Sauzal, an essential place for those gray afternoons in which a good chat and the gastronomic offer of the place can solve. The success of the establishment has been such that on weekends queues form waiting to get a table to try the best chocolate in Tenerife.
3. Casa Egon. The Casa Egon restaurant is not only known for its homemade meals, but also for the tasty variety of sweets and cakes that they make themselves. Located in an old house in the historic centre of La Orotava, C. León, 5, 38300 La Orotava, the place encourages you to taste the sweetest cuisine with one of the favourite hot drinks for many.
4. Churrería El Kiosco. To the south of the island is the Churrería El Kiosco, Av. de la Constitución, 14, 38530 Candelaria, an establishment that should not be missed for a good snack, since, while you taste the best chocolate in Tenerife, you enjoy the views of the Basilica of Our Lady of La Candelaria.
5. Churrería Marcos. Located in Los Cristianos (Arona), Churrería Marcos, C. del Valle Menéndez, 20, 38650 Los Cristianos, it is the place par excellence for churros dipped in hot chocolate. It went from serving its products from a bus, to occupying an establishment in which they serve the numerous natives and foreigners willing to try its culinary offer.
6. Churrocem. In the capital of Tenerife, small but practical cafes prevail, where hot chocolate is at the height of the most demanding palate, among which Churrocem stands out, on Buenos Aires Avenue.
7. Churrería La Tradicional. Also in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on Calle Valentín Sanz, near the Nuestra Señora de África market. It has excellent hot chocolate and churros, as well as good sandwiches.

7 cafeterías con el mejor chocolate caliente de Tenerife

The 6 best beaches in the north of Tenerife

Playa de Benijo

The beaches of the north of Tenerife are the clear example of the volcanic beauty of the Canary Islands, where the black sand combines perfectly with the blue of the Atlantic Ocean, at the point where the cliffs fall into the sea. It's worth mentioning however, that these wild beaches stand out for having strong waves, so it is important to take precautions and only swim if the sea is calm.

1. Playa de Benijo

This virgin black sand beach is located in Taganana, belonging to the Anaga district, between the Benijo and La Rapadura rocks.

It is one of the most photographed wild beaches in Tenerife, since at sunset an idyllic image is created, decorated with the drawing left by the currents in the water, the rocks and the orange tone of the sunset.

So, to get there you have to go down a path of stairs that is not difficult to do but for which it is recommended to wear comfortable shoes.

In addition, the best time to enjoy this beach is at low tide, since the area of sand is much greater, although it must always be borne in mind that it is essential to bathe with caution due to the drag and currents that occur in these areas of northern waters.

2. Playa de Castro

Castro beach is in the north of Tenerife, specifically in the municipality of Los Realejos and is close to Los Roques beach.

To get there you have to follow the signs to Rambla de Castro where there is not much parking so, especially in summer, it is advisable to arrive early and then descend to the beach along a path that is not complicated but is preferable to do in trainers.

The beach is made up of sand and pebbles, although if the tide is high you will only be able to appreciate the latter, since the sand is only visible when the tide is low.

This wild beach does not have sunbeds or beach bars, it is far from the crowd and it is currently gaining fame, mainly due to the photos that circulate on social networks, and there is a waterfall that is the main attraction, enhancing the beauty of one of the most charming beaches in the north of Tenerife.

3. Playa El Bollullo

Among the best beaches in Tenerife we find El Bollullo beach, located on the edge of a cliff in El Rincón, in the municipality of La Orotava.

Already from the top of the access road you can see the large expanse of black sand divided by one of the many rock formations of volcanic origin that can be seen, leaving a wide stretch of beach on one side and a small cove on the other.

In this area, next to El Bollullo, is Los Patos beach, both ideal for bodyboarding and surfing due to the waves, although, as in those mentioned above, you have to be very careful when bathing.

Spending the day on one of these beaches is an excellent option and, as an idea, the plan can be complemented with a brunch or lunch at the restaurant at the top, at the beginning of the path that leads to the coast, and from where you can enjoy beautiful views of the sea.

4. Playa de los Roques

As its name (roques = rocks) indicates, the natural charm of this beach is given by the rocks of volcanic origin that resist the waves of the sea.

It is located in Los Realejos, near Puerto de la Cruz, and can be accessed through the Sendero del Agua, very easy to follow and with about 5 kilometres each way. There is the possibility of arriving by car, although there is not much parking nearby.

Likewise, when there is low tide, the combination of pebbles and black sand is appreciated, the perfect setting to take photographs from the shore with the rocks in the background, a picture so characteristic of the beaches of northern Tenerife and at the same time so special.

5. Playa de Almáciga

Located in the north of Tenerife, it is one of the beaches found in Anaga, next to Benijo.

Wild nature and singular beauty characterize one of the best beaches in the north of Tenerife and it is especially attractive for surfing.

This beach is open to the ocean and has changing currents, so if you are going to spend the day it is important to be careful.

Thus, the beach of Almáciga has an average occupation in summer and low the rest of the year, since the weather influences, clearly better in the summer season.

6. Playa del Tamadite

If you take the path that goes from Afur, a town belonging to the Anaga Rural Park, you can reach Tamadite beach, but be careful, the currents are very strong and it is not suitable for swimming.

The route along the slopes of the Afur ravine is very beautiful, one of the natural spaces of the Anaga Massif in which you will discover small streams fed by the water that run practically all year round, making the channel quite rich in vegetation.

At the end of the path, you will be greeted by a beautiful virgin beach, the Tamadite beach, where it is better not to swim due to the currents and the sea in the background, although you will be able to take some very nice photos and enjoy a small picnic before continuing the tour.

It is clear that the beaches in the north of Tenerife have a wild nature that can only be appreciated in the Canary Islands, where the volcanic origin is present in every corner, with unique and spectacular geological formations.

Las 6 mejores playas del norte de Tenerife: playas salvajes de arena negra

Ferdinand Magellan is said to have visited Tenerife, arriving on September 26, 1519

Ferdinand Magellan

The Canary Islands have played their part in many important voyages of discovery, perhaps most famously when Columbus, stopped off in Gran Canaria and La Gomera in 1492. Columbus also visited El Hierro on later voyages. And Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese maritime explorer who led the first successful attempt to circumnavigate the earth, is said to have visited Tenerife, arriving on September 26, 1519, near the start of that particular important three year voyage of discovery. Or did he?

In those days, legend had it that it never rained on the islands and there were no rivers nor springs. There was also talk of a tree whose leaves distilled drops of water, which served to supply both humans and animals.

That tree, the Garoé, thought to have been an "Ocotea Foetens", a type of laurel endemic to Madeira and the Canary Islands, existed on the island of El Hierro. 

One example, commemorated with a plaza and six wells that collected the water, existed at about 1,000 meters above sea level near Tiñor. It's existence appeared to be mythical, because it was uprooted in a hurricane in 1610 and it's disappearance coincides with the extinction of the indigenous culture from the island, who had dedicated a cult to the tree. However, Antonio Pigafetta apparently added a note to his account for that day of the voyage to the effect that, after not encountering a single drop of water to replenish their supplies, "at midday a cloud came down over the sky, surrounding an enormous tree that there was on that island, distilling water from it's leaves and branches." This would seem to suggest that they were, in fact, in El Hierro, not Tenerife.

The ships left the Canary Islands on October 3rd, 1519.

Ferdinand Magellan and the first circumnavigation of the globe

Magellan himself did not complete the circumnavigation; he was killed during the Battle of Mactan in the Philippines. Juan Sebastian Elcano, took over command of the expedition after Magellan's death - one of only 18 to return, of the 250 or so men who started the voyage - and became the first man to complete the circumnavigation of the - clearly circular - world.

Among the curiosities of their discoveries, was the need for an International date line. They were the first to notice that going round the earth westward resulted in winning one day: upon their return they observed a mismatch of one day between their calendars and those who did not travel. That made El Hierro, also known as The Meridian island, once the western-most point of the known world and used as the reference on maps, the ideal jumping off point for this voyage.

The Juan Sebastián Elcano is the name of the training ship of the Spanish Navy, launched on March 5, 1927. That ship has regularly visited Tenerife.

The Water In the Canary Islands

Galerías de agua

Years ago, on a trip to the Bananera Jardines del Atlantico - a park constructed from an old banana plantation in the Valle San Lorenzo in the south of Tenerife - I learned how water is obtained on this island via galerías (underground galleries) in the mountains, explained by the use of a working model of the island.

In an article from locally "adopted son", historian and University Professor, Manuel J. Lorenzo Perera, we learn a little more about this process of obtaining water from these underground sources, with photos of the gallery in the El Palmar valley in area of the aptly named Monte del Agua (Water Mountain). This is also the area that contains and you can visit, some of the island's only last remaining bits of ancient laurisilva (subtropical cloud forest endemic to the islands).

Many people, including locals, do not know that there are no rivers from which to obtain fresh water on these islands, nor do they know from where the water is obtained. Nobody explains that you shouldn't fill the bath, nor run the shower or tap for a long time, out of respect for this scarce and difficult to obtain resource.

Perera calls the water trade "Un negocio doblemente subterráneo" (A doubly underground business), given that it is where it physically takes place and the manner in which, in days of old, that it was managed. The two men pictured in the article are amongst those who had worked in this dangerous business, wading about in water with no boots, no safety equipment, no work contracts, no health or accident coverage and an atmosphere full of dangerous gasses.

Most of the galleries in Tenerife were opened during the 20th Century and are horizontal tunnels, orientated to extract what has always been a scarce and precious resource. The galleries vary in length, between 1,000 and 2,000 meters, which were excavated - with dynamite and hand tools - 3/4 of a meter, or a meter at most with an experienced worker, during the 8 to 12 hour working day. It wasn't until the 1950's, when any sort of mechanization was introduced.

For many young men in the area, working in these water mines was the only employment available to complement working the land for subsistence. It was an unknown world worked, in blood and sweat, in deplorable conditions, by these authentic hombres-topos (mole-men) down in the dark tunnels.

In those days, the water was not a matter for the local council either. Once it was excavated, it was channelled to a "trusted source" who then saw to distributing it, via private "shareholders", to the enclaves they considered convenient.

These labour conditions explain why throughout the history of the galleries, quite unsurprisingly, there have been numerous grave accidents: loss of limbs, partial or total loss of hearing from the blasts and even the death of some miners.

It is therefore unsurprising that when the gallery of El Carmen in Las Portelas in the El Palmar valley was first opened, a niche was constructed to the right-hand side of the entrance, in which was placed a small image of the Virgen del Carmen. Outside the gallery there is a rosebush and every day, the daughters of the miners would take roses to offer to the virgin, when they took food to their fathers, both to protect their ancestors and so we never lack the water of life.

El agua en Canarias. Un negocio doblemente subterráneo

Almond Gathering and the Almond Fair

Almendras / Almond fruits

Many are familiar with the Rutas de Almendros en Flor (Almond Blossom Routes) in Spring, but at the other end of the season, in Autumn, naturally, follows the Recogida de la almendra (Almond Gathering), or Almond Harvest. 

It is tradition that, on the last Sunday of September, the residents of Vilaflor go out to collect almonds along a route of about five kilometres. The collected almonds are sold the following month at the Feria de la Almendra (Almond Fair), known as La Gran Majada, in Aripe in the municipality of Guía de Isora.

In Guía de Isora, a rural hamlet awaits you, located in the upper area of ​​the municipality, just a few kilometres from the town centre of Guía, where its Guanche origins and deep-rooted traditional customs make time seem to have stopped: Aripe. Declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, it has managed to preserve its rich natural and architectural heritage, offering landscapes of special beauty, which show us a perfect harmony between man and nature.

The picturesque and very traditional rural hamlet of Aripe is linked to three main roads: the Camino Viejo, a traditional link between the nearby hamlet of Chirche and Guía, and where the pilgrimage that took the Virgen de la Luz to the north of the island; the Camino Nuevo, built at the beginning of the 20th century, which led to Las Cañadas in the Teide National Park, around which new buildings were built; and the Camino de San Pedro, which led to Chiguergue.

Here you can find the Aripe engravings, which form the first sample of rock art dated on the island, where you will also enjoy the serene beauty of nature, which houses within it an important and charming architectural heritage, typical of the farm work: traditional houses, built in the 18th and 19th centuries, some converted today into picturesque rural lodgings; a series of constructions for agricultural use, such as threshing floors, ponds and tile and bread ovens; also a series of natural caves used for storage; all this in an agrarian landscape of small terraces, reflecting its traditional rural lifestyle and a very unique system of land use.

Its history is very similar to that of the neighbouring village of Chirche. Despite its Guanche origins, it is considered to be the 17th century when it developed as a population centre, first with livestock, later linked to agricultural production, mainly cereals and almond trees, during the 18th century, which achieved a significant increase in the population, which unfortunately entered into crisis in the second half of the same century. But that left a palpable sample of this agricultural tradition, reflected not only in its surroundings but also in the festivals that are celebrated, such as the popular Almond Fair. 

At the Almond Fair you will be able to transport yourself to the past, being a front-line witness of the artisan harvesting of the almond, through staging carried out by the locals, who are dressed in typical costumes of the time and provided with the utensils that were originally used for this task. This festival is celebrated around the end of October, although it does not have a specific date.

And after enjoying this beautiful and traditional festival, you can also buy a wide variety of products from the artisans of the municipality that have almonds as one of their main ingredients. In addition, at any time of the year, you can also buy honey and exquisite liqueurs, typical of the region.

Frutas de otoño (Autumn fruits)

Just some of the many autumn fruits which grow in a fertile valley on the north of Tenerife

With the first day of autumn in the northern hemisphere being this week, we bring you this guide to the seasonal fruits such as figs, quinces, grapes, persimmons, pomegranates, apples, pears, kiwis and nuts, from the folks at the Mercado Municipal de La Laguna (Municipal Market in La Laguna). 

Many of these will be familiar, some less so, but are all available on the island.

Figs: The fig is a sweet fruit that can be found during the late summer and early autumn. Due to their fragility, they are eaten fresh only during autumn, although dried figs are very typical at Christmas.

Quince: Quince is an autumn fruit that is consumed only after cooking. For this reason, it is used mainly to make jam, compote or the popular quince paste.

Grapes: The grape is a fruit rich in antioxidants that we can enjoy especially during autumn, its best time.

Kaki or Persimmon: Persimmon is a tropical fruit typical of autumn, being very difficult to find fresh at another time.

Pomegranate: is a refreshing fruit with a sweet and sour taste that is becoming increasingly popular. There are many health benefits, including its high antioxidant content and its stimulating power of sexual desire, which is why it is known as natural Viagra.

Apple: The apple, one of the most consumed fruits in the world, has its best season in autumn. Discover the different types of apple, how to preserve them and their use in the kitchen.

Pears: The pear is a common fruit in every home. Although you can buy pears at any time of the year, their best time is in the autumn. Pears are a good source of vitamin C, fibre, potassium, and vitamin E.

Kiwis: The kiwi is a fruit very rich in vitamin C with which it can be made canned, drinks, baked goods or eaten fresh. 

Berries: The blueberry is a fruit that is at its best in September. Out of season they are only frozen, packaged or dried. Raspberries are at their best from late summer through to October. The rest of the year it is only possible to buy them frozen, canned or in syrup. Blackberries ripen in late summer and early fall, although they can be easily frozen for year-round enjoyment.

Autumn is also the season for nuts, rich in antioxidants and a good source of energy. In addition, nuts stand out for their ease of preservation.

Chestnuts: The chestnut is a dry fruit typical of autumn and is usually associated with Christmas. Easy to keep, they can be found until the end of winter.

Hazelnuts: Hazelnut is a dried fruit that can be found fresh in autumn, although its greatest demand occurs during the Christmas holidays.

Walnuts: The best season to buy walnuts is the month of November, as that is when they are ripe and dry.

El Mercado Municipal de La Laguna con la cocina tradicional: Frutas de otoño

La Palma Tajogaite Volcano one year on

Erupción del volcán Cumbre Vieja - Mirador de Tajuya (La Palma) - 15-11-2021 
Image: Banco de Imágenes Geológicas, Some rights reserved

One year after the Tajogaite Volcano erupted, almost 200 of those affected are still living in hotels because they have no other place to stay.

The worst and longest eruption in the history of La Palma has forced the mobilization of a volume of public resources and at a speed unprecedented in the history of natural disasters in Spain, to face an enormous task of reconstruction that has done no more than begin. One year after the volcano erupted and nine months since it ceased, almost 200 affected people continue to live in hotels because they have no other place to stay and the sectors that drive the La Palma economy, agriculture and tourism, are still debating how they can recover.

The Volcano

DURATION: 85 days and eight hours of eruption, from September 19 to December 13, 2021, the longest the island has suffered since the fifteenth century and the third in the history of the Canary Islands, after Timanfaya, in Lanzarote (2,055 days, between 1730 and 1736), and the submarine Tagoro volcano, in El Hierro (147 days, between 2011 and 2012).

VOLUME EMITTED: The volcano ejected 217 million cubic meters of materials, according to the latest 3D cartography carried out by the National Institute of Volcanology of Italy and its Canarian counterpart, Involcán, without counting the material deposited under the sea in the two deltas that formed from the lava on the coast of Tazacorte. In other words, it emitted as much material as the six that preceded it in the history of La Palma together, at an average of 27 cubic meters per second (m3/s), a rate that on some days approached 60 m3/s. If those 217 million m3 were water, it would be enough to reach all the reservoirs in provinces such as Álava, Castellón, La Rioja or Teruel.

THE CONE: Occupies an area of ​​0.6 km2 (60 hectares), on which 36.5 million cubic meters of materials were deposited, which raised a mountain 187 meters high in what was until then a hollow of the west slope of Cumbre Vieja. The summit of the volcano is located at an altitude of 1,121 meters.

THE LAVA FLOWS: Lava covered 11.8 km2 (1,180 hectares), 1.69% of the surface of the island. That tremendous slab of molten rock that is slowly cooling from the 1,140 degrees that it reached, covers six kilometres from the cone to the coast, with a maximum width of three kilometres, and has an extension that would almost be enough to bury the city of Melilla (12.3 Km2). It is made up of 177.6 million cubic meters of materials, the average thickness of which exceeds 15 metres, but which at some points reaches 65 metres, enough to completely cover stadiums such as the Camp Nou (48 m) or the Santiago Bernabéu (45 m).

THE DELTAS: Upon reaching the sea, the lava formed two deltas on the coast of Tazacorte that add up to 48 hectares of surface, it is the youngest land in Spain. The largest delta, 43.4 hectares, would fit the entire Vatican State. Below is one of the most sought-after beaches for surf lovers in the Canary Islands, Los Guirres, which has gone down in history, but the sea has already formed other small, still virgin sandbanks and life begins to colonize the submerged rocks.

The Consequences

- More than 7,000 people were evacuated from their homes, many of them at least during the three months that the eruption lasted. It is 8.2% of the population of La Palma.

- 2,329 people lived in the perimeter covered by lava or ash, 7.1% of the census of the three municipalities that cross the lava flows, El Paso, Los Llanos de Aridane and Tazacorte.

- 1,676 buildings were destroyed or damaged, including 1,345 homes, 180 farm buildings, 75 industrial buildings, 44 leisure and hotel facilities and 16 buildings for public use, such as schools or churches, among others. Entire neighbourhoods, like Todoque, no longer exist and others, like La Laguna, have rivers of rock in the middle of their streets

- 73.8 kilometres of highways and urban roads were buried, the vast majority (65%) in Los Llanos de Aridane.

- 370 hectares of crops affected, including 228 of bananas, 68 of vineyards and 27 of avocado.

- 982 million euros in damage of all kinds, to public and private property, according to the estimate of the Government of the Canary Islands.

Reconstruction

- 565.54 million euros in aid for La Palma already delivered by the central government with the collaboration of the Canarian Executive, with 7,091 files initiated at the request of the victims, 96% already signed, according to the latest balance, published on Friday.

- 213.47 million euros: amount paid by the Insurance Compensation Consortium for damages in La Palma until July 28, out of a total of 234 million requested. 182.79 million correspond to homes, 22.44 million to shops, hotels, offices and other types of real estate and almost one million to vehicles.

- 139 homes and modular houses bought by the Government of the Canary Islands, available to those who lost their homes and 488 grants for the payment of rents granted.

- 13.64 million euros received by the Cabildo de La Palma in public and private donations for those affected. 7.22 million have been delivered to 2,941 families who lost their homes or cannot live in them (in amounts that depend on the number of members) and 6.34 million distributed among 634 families at a rate of 10,000 euros each. The Cabildo has covered 420,000 euros with its own funds.

- A provisional road crosses the lava flow from La Laguna to Las Norias above the lava, with important restrictions (only during the day, at 20 km/h and with the prohibition of stopping or getting out of the vehicle, because there are temperatures of up to 600 degrees in the surroundings). Its four kilometres avoid a two-hour detour (80 km) through the summit, Santa Cruz and Fuencaliente to go from the neighbourhoods that were north of the lava to those in the south.

RELATED: Where are the victims of the La Palma volcano eruption one year on?

But ...

- 180 people are still living in hotels a year later, more than half of them (108) residents of Puerto Naos and La Bombilla, the two centres evicted by high concentrations of CO2 and other volcanic gases, at levels that can be lethal. To them must be added an undetermined number of people who reside with relatives or in other types of accommodation, such as caravans.

- 93 children have lost their usual school: 44 are students from two centres that disappeared under the lava (CEIP Todoque and Los Campitos) and 49 from the one that has been rendered useless in Puerto Naos (CEIP María Milagros Acosta). They are grouped in a provisional centre in Los Llanos de Aridane. CEIP = Colegio de Educación Infantil y Primaria (College of Infant and Primary Education).

- The price of housing has skyrocketed as a result of all the lost properties and the impact of the large number of affected people who are looking for a rental or a purchase at the same time. There are no official data, but portals such as Idelista.com estimate that purchase prices have risen in the last year by 21.4% in Los Llanos de Aridane, 20.1% in Tazacorte and 24.7% in the capital of the island, Santa Cruz. This is four times what they have risen in the Canary Islands as a whole, according to the same source (5.7%). And rents also feel the same pressure.

- Some 4,000 tourist beds are off the market due to security restrictions due to the presence of gases in Puerto Naos, although the buildings where they are located did not suffer physical damage. La Palma has about 11,000 operational beds left as a result.

- Hundreds of owners do not know if they will be able to recover the farms and houses that were buried under the lava. Those lands being theirs, but how to get to them, what use can the give them and what will they be used for, are questions that still emerge in every meeting of those affected.

Las cifras del volcán de La Palma

How to enjoy a Tenerife Village Fiesta

Putting out the flags and banners, like every job in the Canaries, takes six people.
One to do the task and the other five to watch (and tell him how to do it better).

In towns and villages throughout Tenerife and the Canary Islands, their annual fiestas are an important event in the social calendar. In olden times, they were probably the best - and often only - opportunity young people got to find a mate and are still very much a thanksgiving for the harvest. First published in 2007, being traditional in nature, it's doubtful there'll be much change in the intervening years and, most towns and villages have similar fiestas, with a similar program, so hopefully, this will provide you an insider's view of these delightful events.

Part carnival, part village fete, part harvest festival and part country show, the amount of organization that goes into these events - every village has its own association or committee of fiesta organizers - often seems quite disproportionate to the size of the population it aims to entertain. In the case of the Grandes Fiestas en honor de Nuestra Señora de la Consolación 2007 in El Palmar, that was only about 600 of us, but especially in rural areas, where until very recently, most people relied entirely on backbreaking subsistence farming, this once-yearly chance to really enjoy themselves was, and still is, fully appreciated by the local population.

Local authorities too make a point of saying that these old customs need to be preserved and act as tourist attractions and the island people also want to share these celebrations and to do themselves proud, so it's a matter of good hospitality to offer guests far more than they could possibly want. After months of planning, visible preparations began a week before with putting out the flags.

All you need to do is go along, watch or participate and enjoy. NB: These fiestas are all free to attend, financed partly by town halls and partly by voluntary contributions solicited by the organisers going door-to-door around the village. So, if you do attend, if you can afford to do so, please consider finding someone in a t-shirt that says "Commission de fiestas" (organisers) and offer them a contribution.

The stage is set for the nightly entertainments

The temporary bar is installed

The essential fiesta sweets and tat stall being put up.

And the square is bedecked with ribbons

Comparsa Las Chicharacas

The carnival-style opening night of the fiestas was a hoot, though, it's hard to understand why they put times on the program because they bear absolutely no relation to reality. It's worth bearing in mind that Canarian time does generally work like this. Not that it matters, except that the longer one spends waiting, the more acutely one becomes aware of the complete lack of public toilets! 

Events were slated to begin at 7.30 pm, but actually did some time well after 9 pm. Although the official opening speeches then were mercifully short, it still must have been getting on for 10 pm, when the carnival opening procession even started off on it's rounds of the village streets. It was a little after midnight when the comparsa (dance troupe), the band and the entourage of revellers (mostly men dressed up as women) and one chap, inexplicably (although the lack of bathroom facilities might have been a motivation), dressed merely in an adult diaper, finally returned.

Fanfarria del Puerto de la Cruz

Then the party started. Well, no the party had been going on in the streets of El Palmar (both of them) for all that time, but this was when I discovered what is really meant by the carnival concept of "enjoying the good meat, wine and music." The meat - a whole open-backed truck load and probably several animals worth of it - and the wine was free. As much as you like: all you had to do was to raise your hand among the hundreds of others similarly begging.

The fiesta food truck. Chaotic? Just a tad, but entirely friendly. 

On the back of this ancient camion (lorry), which apparently, was still being fixed at 6 pm, was an industrial-sized oil drum grill from which half a dozen people from the fiesta organising committee were handing out family-sized portions of barbecued meat, wrapped in half loaves and sloshing out the "good wine" into plastic cups, at speed of service that McDonalds can only dream about.

After consuming one of these enormous meat sandwiches, my Canarian friend grabbed me by the hand ready to drag me across the square. He wanted to show me this well-known trick of sticking your hand out to get seconds once the truck got round to the other side. Truly, I wouldn't have had room.

If the free food and wine wasn't enough for anyone, there was a stall in the square selling toys, snacks and sweets, plus two bars - one was also selling perros calientes (hot dogs) and papas locas (chips n sauce). Still no toilet though.

Dusty Bin's Canarian Cousin

On the second day (that's the Saturday-week before the 4th Sunday of September, usually) of the fiestas of the Virgen de la Consolación (Our Lady of the Consolation) in El Palmar, Buenavista del Norte you should really make the effort, even if just once, to go and see the ancient Baile de Las Libreas (Livery Dance). Highly venerated as being culturally important, it is actually a very curious satirical piece involving cross-dressing, sarcastic gestures and Dusty Bin's Canarian Cousin showering the crowd with fireworks attached to its back. 

When someone told me about one of the oldest folk dances on the island, unique to the village of El Palmar, possibly originating in the 17th Century, then explained at length how important it is and how it needs to be preserved, what I really expected was something solemn, demanding of serious respect. It's hilarious, honestly, unmissable and from a time way before 'Elf and Safety existed!

Las Libreas de El Palmar consists of three pairs of dancers, all male, three of whom are dressed as women, plus figures representing male and female devils. It symbolizes the struggle between good and evil and the dancers dance, jumping and gyrating with exaggerated movements, to the sound of the "tajaraste" (pipes and drums) around the streets of the village, eventually setting fire to the devil figures in order to purify and drive away evil spirits to prevent a bad harvest.

What this meant, in reality, was that they lit fireworks attached to the back of the upturned bin people. They then run round the plaza, which fills with smoke, pointing their backs to the audience - just as the fireworks are about to go bang - at a distance that would have fire safety officers giving birth to whole litters of kittens.

It's all seriously weird. The more so as this "pantomime" takes place immediately before a solemn mass and a procession of the Virgin de la Consolación through the village, accompanied by the village band and yet more fireworks.

So important is this that there's a group of bronze statues commemorating the dance in the Plaza Las Libreas, alongside the main road through the village. 

Many theories exist over exactly when, how and why this dance originated, but it seems a combination of elements fused at some unknown point in history. The "tajaraste", most likely originates with the pre-conquest aboriginal inhabitants of the islands and was combined with Christian events. The dancers who dress as women have powdered faces and wear veils, from which may come the custom of masks at carnival. The presence of devils in religious processions seems to have been an island obsession, as is written in the records of the tribunals of the Inquisition. Their costumes (look like recycled chintz curtains) are more Pantomime Dame and nobody is fooled: this is comedy and these are men in skirts.

During the supposedly religious procession, there were constant bangs and, the already slow progress was constantly held up as Catherine wheels were set on tripods in the middle of the street - while spectators look on mere feet away - or when fireworks rained down on us from flat roofs and balconies.

The Grand Finale was a huge firework display when the procession reached the main road that was closed for the duration. Once the Icon was safely back inside the church, on came the band for the Monumental Verbena (open air dance) with the Orchestra de Arturo Castillo (or Arthur Castle's Orchestra, if you really must anglicize it) from Garachico. The many kids, who had come for the fireworks and who ran around the plaza throughout the open-air mass, were still doing so at 2 am.

Men dress for the male and (unconvincing) female parts, in granny's recycled chintz curtains.

The devil set on fire. About a meter from the audience.

The night-time procession of the Icon of the Virgin de la Consolación

Mobile fireworks follow the procession.

El Palmar Baile de las Libreas

Lucha Canaria (Canarian Wrestling)

Canarian wrestling is the most popular of the indigenous sports that could be seen on the fiesta's Native Sports Day. Requiring both strength and skill, the winner is the wrestler who makes their opponent touch the floor first with any part of their body aside from the feet. It has more in common with a Japanese martial art than wrestling as we know it in the UK or the US. 

Lucha is "gentlemanly", in that opponents don't seek to hurt one another and they shake hands before each bout. They also help each other up afterwards too: good manners that the guy in charge was constantly instilling into the kids present and, running the ring in a similar way as I have seen martial arts masters run a dojo. 

Junior wrestlers from Buenavista, Icod de los Vinos and San Juan de la Rambla provided the demonstration: six lads and one girl, who was certainly no easy opponent for the boys she wrestled. All made much more fun for the crowd when they got volunteer kids from the village to have a go at wrestling too.

Juego de Palo (Stick fighting)

Before the wrestling, there was a demonstration of Juego de Palo (Stick fighting), which originates from techniques of defence and attack used by the Guanches, ancient inhabitants of Tenerife. Now a sport where no is harm inflicted, it has become a type of fencing match between two combatants armed with wooden sticks. We've all seen Robin Hood and Little John doing something similar. 

Bola Canaria (Canarian boules)

The older 'boys' played Bola Canaria (Canarian boules), which is similar to the French sport of petanque. In both games the idea is to get closest to the jack but in the Canarian game the boules are heavier and the playing area larger.

Dancers from Teno Alto perform a ribbon dance.

After a mass for the emigrants - they mean, of course, the locals who emigrated, mostly to Venezuela - and almost everyone in the valley has family there, or has spent some time there themselves - this afternoon was dedicated to the Old Folks Festival, with participation from several folk groups and with a free afternoon tea laid on for all the OAPs who attended. For some reason, I resisted eating.

The mass for the emigrants was highly appropriate and, from a cultural standpoint, the events were some of the most fascinating on the fiesta's agenda. Being one of the least developed areas of Tenerife is synonymous with being one of the poorest financially, thus, the percentage of people who have, both in history and living memory, emigrated, mostly to Venezuela, from these valleys is particularly high. There are strong links between Tenerife and Venezuela anyway, through emigration and numerous returnees who brought back customs, a taste for arepas, cachapas and hallacas and, even Venezuelan born kids, but we tend to think of the more recent waves of emigration to escape poverty and repression in the 20th Century and, their return since democracy was restored.

When we think of musical styles that the Canary Islands share in common with Latin America, the ones that come to mind most readily are Salsa, Merengue and, more recently Reggaeton, all of which have made their way east across the Atlantic ocean, but the cultural and musical links go back much farther.

In 1536, Pedro Fernández de Lugo, son of Tenerife's conqueror and first Adelantado (Governor), embarked on his expedition to Santa Marta in Colombia with 1,500 soldiers, half of whom were Canarians. Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Florida, Louisiana, San Antonio (Texas) and, above all Venezuela (where Canarians, at times, made up 52% of the white immigrants into the country), were all also either founded or colonized by Canarians. Either voluntarily or by force, it's calculated that 10,000 Canary Island residents emigrated to the Americas in the first century after the conquest alone. In later centuries, these numbers were considerably greater still.

Meanwhile, the fiestas and traditional dances in El Palmar and Teno Alto, we are told, have been passed down through the generations. One group from Teno Alto, danced the danza de las cintas (ribbon dance) that is reminiscent of Maypole dances and treated us to performances of various others of the most noted local folk dances Tajaraste de Teno, Polka de Teno and Joropo de Teno.

Joropo is a word that I'm familiar with, because one of the regular dance troupes at Tenerife's main carnival in Santa Cruz is called the Joroperos. Male dancers of the Joropo wear what is called liquiliqui: an outfit, traditional to the plains of Columbia and Venezuela and, again, one of the groups to perform regularly in Santa Cruz' Carnaval, Los Liqui-Liquis, takes this word as their name. They come from Venezuela, but in representation of the Hogar Canario (kinda Canarians abroad club) there. The Joropo - a musical style resembling the waltz, and accompanying dance, having African and European influences - is considered an unofficial national anthem in Venezuela and is said to have originated in the 1600s, in Columbia and Venezuela, but the roots of joropo include music from sailors and troubadours who came in galleons from Spain.

Back in the days of galleons, a stop in the Canary Islands for provisions, often also taking on additional passengers and crew, was mandatory, even if the ships did not originally depart from the archipelago. Some styles of folk music here contain elements of aboriginal customs, onto which Spanish ones have been tacked. This is certainly true of the tajaraste. When you consider that around 150 years had passed between the conquest of these islands and the appearance of the joropo in Latin America, it becomes less clear if this went straight from Spain to Venezuela, or whether it picked up elements from the islands first.

In the years between 1900 and 1910 alone, although 53,920 emigrants left the Canary Islands, some 61,931 returned from the Americas, so it starts to be unclear in which direction this crossed the Atlantic. but either way, at some point in history, a dance with the name of joropo reached the plains of Teno Alto; one of Tenerife's smallest and most inaccessible hamlets, where it's still danced.

Canarian folk music is a bit of an acquired taste for anyone not born among it, but for anyone with even a passing interest in the history of the islands - and their influence on the development of the New World - observing these traditions raises some interesting questions. Canarian folklore is a product of the temperament and psychology of the Canarian people, their aboriginal ancestry and rites, as well as marks left by the various different cultures that have invaded the islands. This has produced a style with a personality that is very particular to the islands. It's interesting to note that nowadays there are "purists" who would have everything done just so in relation to Canarian folklore, both the music and the dress. In truth, this view can be seen as entirely contrary to the nature of the beast, which has been in constant evolution for more than five centuries.

Trestle tables are set out in rows in El Palmar's square for the old folks' afternoon tea.

Members of the folk groups, in traditional costume, tuck into the sandwiches, rosquetes and wine.

Dancers in typical Tenerife costume.

Dancers from Teno Alto

Kids having fun riding the boards as the threshing is done

The finale of the10 days of fiestas in El Palmar is Sunday's Day of Traditions or Día de la Trilla (Threshing Day), usually held on the last Sunday in September. 

This day is a demonstration of many rural processes that look entirely historical, but are from living memory for some locals, if not still in continued use. There's making of charcoal for fuel; exhibitions of farming implements and the threshing done the old way using horses and teams of oxen. There were horse rides and riding on the threshing boards for the kids and a lot of free food and wine for the grown ups, with music and dancing for the rest of the afternoon.

Building of the Carbonera - that smoking heap of charcoal producing earth and foliage - typically took, by my count, 10 blokes to do so, six of whom were merely "observers". The bit you don't see was that it also required an entire bottle of local wine shared between the workers, poured from a recycled whiskey bottle!

Building of the Carbonera

Oxen doing threshing at the Fiestas de El Palmar in Tenerife

Old farming implements on a pivi

Ox drivers start young

There is such thing as a free lunch

Afternoon knees up