At the Social Headquarters of the Parranda Marinera de Buches, on Ico street No. 2 (in front of the Doctor José Molina Orosa University Hospital), the Cultural Association Parranda Marinera de Buches and the Cultural Association Diabletes de Teguise held a working meeting with the objective of charting a common roadmap in the face of "the adversities and risks facing these vernacular traditions of Lanzarote." As heritage references of the island's Canarian identity, both entities were recognized with the Gold Medal of the Government of the Canary Islands in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
The session was chaired by Juan Antonio Machado Santana, on behalf of Los Buches, and Víctor Padrón Tavío, on behalf of the Diabletes de Teguise, accompanied by representatives and associates of both groups. At the meeting, a formal commission was established to address shared problems and outline a plan aimed at recovering the traditional carnival of Lanzarote, which in recent decades has suffered a worrying distortion.
Víctor Padrón stated: "The Diabletes are delighted to work in defense of our traditional culture. Both associations must work together to preserve what little we have left, and from the Villa, we are going to put everything we can so that our diabletes shine as they have been doing in recent times."
For his part, Juan Antonio Machado pointed out: "Los Buches have the ethical duty to work together with historical associations and groups to defend, in the Villa de Teguise, the traditional carnivals and, in the Port of Arrecife, the old maritime entrudo. Without a common vision, we run the risk of not being heard."
With the aim of reinforcing conservation, and taking advantage of the fact that both traditions are nominated for the Cabildo to initiate the corresponding files as an Asset of Cultural Interest in the category of Intangible Heritage of the Government of the Canary Islands, the associations agreed to work together as carrying communities, so that the public presentation of traditional carnivals conforms to the guidelines of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This Convention contemplates the real participation of the carrying communities and requires administrations to adopt concrete measures, which include sufficient and stable public funding for intergenerational transmission (workshops, schools of knowledge, research and inventories, shows linked to safeguarding), the care of clothing and instruments, and the programming of activities and representations that do not distort or adulterate traditional formats.
In this framework, both groups establish a shared guideline regarding the parades of the modern carnival. They consider that the dynamic of the parades tends to adulterate these manifestations and, therefore, they will promote before the town councils alternatives and viable formats that respect the rhythms, music, rituals, clothing and own elements, orienting their participation towards exhibitions, parades and stagings faithful to the tradition.
In the coming dates, the presidents will sign a common roadmap to present a shared front in defense of the intangible heritage represented by Los Buches and Los Diabletes, an essential part of the culture of Lanzarote and the Canary Islands.
