Photos: Sergio Betancort
The Los Buches Marineras group already has its particular tribute in the form of a sculpture. A bronze piece, with two figures dressed in the traditional Los Buches costume and carrying the traditional bladder or inflated fish buche, can be seen from this Monday on César Manrique Avenue in Arrecife, on the banks of El Charco de San Ginés, at the height of the Four Corners.
Created by the Lanzarote sculptor based in Tenerife, Evelina Martín, daughter of Nicolás Martín Placeres, one of the oldest members of Los Buches, the piece has a height of 1.75 meters, and was made in the Bronzo workshop owned by the artist. In fact, this initiative comes from the sculptor herself, who presented the idea to the Cabildo of Lanzarote, with Francisco Cabrera as Minister of Culture.
"With this sculpture, Lanzarote settles a debt with one of the groups that has worked the most - with love, dedication and altruism - for the conservation of the traditions of the island and the city of Arrecife," declared the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Pedro San Ginés, at the inauguration ceremony. "Los Buches are part of our history and our traditions, linked to the Port and the relationship of the people of Lanzarote with the sea and maritime customs and Carnival. Los Buches are an identifying symbol of Lanzarote and this sculpture is the symbol of the deserved recognition of their great work," added San Ginés, who presented the group with a replica of the sculpture.
Eva de Anta, mayoress of Arrecife, expressed herself in the same terms. "I am sure that both the group, protagonist of our coastal carnivals, and the community of fishermen who still live and work on this bank, will swell their chests with pride at this institutional recognition, which adds to so many others in our recent past. Thank you very much to our Buches, thank you very much for the love they express for their city in each Carnival and in each San Ginés and thank you very much for returning the living memory to us in each blow and in each dance," she said.
For his part, the president of Los Buches, José Julián Villanueva, conveyed the group's gratitude to all the people and institutions that have made the realization of the sculpture possible, "from Evelina Martín herself, to the Cabildo and the Arrecife City Council." "We are simply in charge of ensuring that this tradition of the Arrecife Carnival is not lost, and that it continues to be passed down from parents to children," said José Julián Villanueva, who made a call to all those present to help them and not forget them.
The sculpture was made in the Bronzo workshops, in Tenerife, with a budget of 47,000 euros. The financing of the same has been entirely borne by the Cabildo of Lanzarote, with the collaboration of the Arrecife City Council in the realization of the base and the placement of the piece.
A tradition of centuries
The Lanzarote musician Benito Cabrera was in charge of narrating part of the history of Los Buches, which "goes back to a tradition of several centuries ago." As early as 1890, the first writings appear that refer to the existence of this tradition. The Frenchman Verneau speaks of a maritime tradition associated with Carnival. Two other French authors, Prust and Pitard, passed through Arrecife at the beginning of the 20th century and described a celebration in which "everyone carefully hides their face; the rich under a horsehair mask, so that it lasts three days without the sweat making it mush, the poorest under a layer of plaster or soot".
Cabrera recalled how they were banned in the Spanish Civil War, and a group of friends, including Gregorio Medina Armas and Andrés Fajardo Ferrer, rescued them in 1963. Even César Manrique intervened in the design of the mask of Los Buches, which is completed with the traditional fish buche - which is previously cured in brine and dried once inflated - wool cap, ribbons of different colors, shoulder and head scarf, sequined vest, openwork and embroidered trousers, garters, stockings, leggings, white gloves, etc. In short, and as the presenter of the event, David García, recalled, "Los Buches are sea, raft and Four Corners, living history of Arrecife".
The Parranda Marinera de los Buches closed the inauguration ceremony by performing their flagship song entitled 'La Batea'. After the song, the plaque that gives the sculpture its name was unveiled, which includes one of the verses of this famous song and which reads as follows. "Lawsuit in the Four Corners the salsa of the carnival, you can already hear the buchasos throughout the city".
