Talk – The soul ranches of Gran Canaria

Talk «The »ranchos de ánimas' of Gran Canaria" at the Cultural Center of Villa de Santa Brígida, Gran Canaria.

The Santa Brígida Town Council, in collaboration with the Adult Education Center of Santa Brígida, Vega de San Mateo and Tejeda, organizes the conference The 'ranchos de ánimas' of Gran Canaria: recovery of tradition through training and education, which will take place on Tuesday, January 27, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM at the Cultural Center of the Villa.

The activity will be given by Roberto Suárez Ojeda, secondary music teacher and member of the Rancho de Ánimas de Arbejales–Teror, one of the few groups that keep this cultural manifestation alive on the island.

The 'ranchos de ánimas' constitute one of the most deeply rooted popular traditions of Gran Canaria until the beginning of the 20th century. They were formed by amateur musicians who traveled through the towns with the aim of raising funds for the celebration of masses for the souls in Purgatory. Their performances took place from the eve of All Saints' Day until the eve of the feast of the Virgen de la Candelaria, in a social context deeply linked to religious precepts and community life.

From a musical and scenic point of view, the 'ranchos de ánimas' were characterized by the use of fundamentally percussion instruments, sung compositions focused on the sufferings, death and resurrection of Christ, as well as a wide repertoire of improvised couplets. These performances also included a marked theatricalization, with popular lyrics and melodies that evoked the underworld through mournful, sad and sorrowful tones. Currently, only three 'ranchos de ánimas' are preserved in Gran Canaria: Arbejales–Teror, Valsequillo and La Aldea.

The meeting aims to publicize the cultural values, traditions and essential characteristics of the 'ranchos de ánimas', highlighting their deep popular roots and the social function they still perform in the places where they survive. Likewise, their declaration as Asset of Cultural Interest in the category of Intangible Heritage by the Government of the Canary Islands, a recognition that opens the door to the recovery of this tradition in regions where it disappeared, as is the case of La Vega.

The initiative underlines the importance of training and education as key tools for the transmission of cultural heritage, as well as the role of these manifestations in neighborhood cohesion, collective objectives and the social structuring of rural communities historically linked to agricultural and livestock sectors.