The president of the Canary Islands Parliament, Astrid Pérez, received this Monday a representation of four groups that are Gold Medals of the Canary Islands 2023 for their defense of the popular and festive culture of the islands. “Through the Parranda Marinera de Los Buches and the Murga Las Revoltosas, from Lanzarote; the Afilarmónica Los Nietos de Kika, from Gran Canaria, and the Afilarmónica Ni Fú-Ni Fá, from Tenerife, we wanted to pay tribute to so many men and women of our Archipelago who, year after year, make a great effort to keep alive some of the traditions that give us identity as a people,” said Astrid Pérez.
This act “of recognition and gratitude” included in the program of the week of the Canary Islands Day aims, in the words of Astrid Pérez, “to value, also in the Parliament of the Canary Islands, the work carried out by these groups, which are the two most emblematic afilarmónicas of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, the first female murga of the Canary Islands and Los Buches, who have been working for more than 60 years to ensure that this old maritime and festive tradition is not lost.”
La Afilarmónica NiFú-NiFá, or simply la Fufa as it is popularly known, was founded in the 1950s, although it was not until 1961 when it adopted its current name. It is the dean murga of the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, with about 50 members.
La Afilarmónica Los Nietos de Kika was founded in 1976 in the Gran Canaria city of Arucas and is another of the pioneering groups of the Carnival of the islands. In its 48 years of history, this group has achieved a gold record in 1985 and, in addition, they were nominated for the Canary Islands Prize for Popular Culture.
La Murga Las Revoltosas, established in 1983 by eight women from the Lanzarote municipality of San Bartolomé, was the first female murga in the Canary Islands and, in addition, since 1997 also the first female afilarmónica in the islands. They are a reference of the island and regional carnival.
La Parranda Marinera Los Buches was created in 1963 in Arrecife with the aim of rescuing one of the oldest and most seafaring traditions of Lanzarote: los buches. This group is recognized for its peasant clothes, its metal mask and the swollen fish stomachs that they carry in their hand with which they dance and, in addition, they give some blows to those who find in their path. A total of 40 people make up this traditional group today, which keeps alive a tradition whose origin dates back, according to this entity, “at least to 1630, with the Dance of the Renegades made by the Brotherhood of the Sea”. Later, “it evolved until in the 19th century it became the Baile de Buches that we know today.”

Guided tours begin
The Parliament of the Canary Islands began this Monday its Open Days, which conclude on Saturday, June 1, to better publicize the institution among the citizens of the Archipelago. This initiative “aims to bring the Parliament a little closer to the people and facilitate that, in the morning and afternoon, people who wish to do so can visit our headquarters, in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, to learn about the history, heritage, architecture and functions of this Chamber,” explained the president, Astrid Pérez.
From this Monday, May 27 to Saturday, June 1, people who wish to do so can come to know the parliament, with the help of specialized personnel, between 10:00 and 14:00, and between 17:00 and 20:00 hours. Except for the last day, in which there will be morning hours only.