The Santo Domingo convent, in the Villa de Teguise, an 18th-century architectural gem, was the chosen setting for the large Calicanto musical group family to celebrate their traditional festival. The event, which took place last Saturday night, was at full capacity, offering the public an evening filled with music, emotion, and feeling.
As every year, the Calicanto management selected a name to give identity to the festival, and in this edition the chosen word was "Sorora". Sorority refers to friendship, solidarity, and sisterhood among women, especially in the context of the fight for equality and female empowerment. Being a sorora person implies accompanying, supporting, and helping other women grow, never holding them back.
The festival, hosted by journalist Carmen Nieves Pérez, began with a performance by the young Daniel Aparicio, who offered an extraordinary opening. Through his body language and impeccable control of movement, he managed to keep the audience in artistic suspense, attentive to every gesture, and finally received thunderous applause.
Immediately after, the twenty members of the Popular Music Group Timbeque took the stage, arriving from Gran Tarajal, in Fuerteventura. Founded in 2010, the group is musically directed by Professor Carmelo Angulo and presided over by Ángel Trujillo. Its name pays homage to the ancient timbeques, humble local establishments, old oil and vinegar shops where communities would gather to share and celebrate life.
Timbeque presented a varied repertoire representative of Fuerteventura, such as "Isa del Mareante," "Malagueñita del Pescador," or "Isa Majorera," interspersed with Latin American songs. The audience, eager for a party, accompanied with applause and the occasional chorus, giving the musicians a performance they will undoubtedly remember with special fondness.
The second part of the festival was dedicated to the organizers and hosts: the 24 women of Calicanto, supported by seven friends and great musicians who usually accompany them on special occasions like this. With an impeccable staging, full of rhythm and movement, Calicanto managed to break down the barrier that separates the artist from the audience. Under the musical direction of Professor Vanessa Rijo and the presidency of Raquel Aparicio, they performed each of the songs chosen for this very special night of "Sorora," such as Viajera, Soy de Aquí, Lágrimas Negras, Me nace del Corazón, Zaranda de Lanzarote, Derroche, among others.
One of the most emotional moments of the edition came when Sara Bermúdez announced the performance of "Canción sin Miedo," a song that denounces the abuse that women and children continue to suffer at the hands of their partners, the wrongly named "Machista Abuse." Several women from the audience went up on stage and unfurled a banner that read "Violence is not part of our Melody," while the song resonated in the convent. At the end, the audience, on their feet, offered the warmest and longest applause of the entire night.
As the end approached, and to alleviate the emotional intensity of the moment, Calicanto performed two more songs at the audience's request, truly putting the finishing touch on an unforgettable night for the entire group's family, who will undoubtedly keep this festival in their memories for a long time.