The Guagime de Tahíche Folk Group celebrated last Friday the fifteenth edition of its Folk Festival, an event that this year was titled "Como Antaño" (Like in the Old Days), and which once again became an emotional encounter with roots, traditional music, and recognition for those who have dedicated their lives to enriching the community.
The event, held at 9:00 PM at the headquarters of the Santiago El Mayor Neighborhood Association of Tahíche, was completely full. As is customary, the loyal audience that accompanies the Guagime family every year responded once again by filling the permitted capacity and supporting each of the performances that made up the festival with warm and continuous applause.
The evening began with the performance of the El Chorro del Farrobillo Folk Group, accompanied by the dance troupe of the Acoidán Cultural Association, both from the Tenerife municipality of Santa Úrsula. El Chorro del Farrobillo was founded in 2003, coinciding with the creation of the Neighborhood Association of the same name, a designation that refers to a historic fountain existing since 1900 and the neighborhood where it is located. Under the musical direction of José Feliciano López Hernández and with the Acoidán dance troupe directed by Yéremy Cordero, both groups offered a carefully curated journey through some of the most representative songs and dances of Tenerife's folklore, winning over the attending audience from the first moment, who rewarded them with their applause.
After the brilliant opening came the turn of the hosts, the Guagime de Tahíche Folk Group, linked since its inception to the Municipal Folklore School of Teguise and officially established in 2004, once again demonstrated the commitment it has maintained for over two decades to the conservation and dissemination of the cultural heritage of the Canary Islands.
The name Guagime, of Amazigh origin, means "Place," a name full of symbolism that represents the space where tradition, music, and folklore find their home and where different generations come together to keep alive the essence of a people proud of their roots.
One of the most anticipated moments of the night came with the presentation of the "Silver Insignia," the highest honorary distinction that the group established in 2011 to recognize individuals and institutions whose dedication has significantly contributed to the conservation and dissemination of Canarian culture.
In this edition, the recognition fell to neighbor Ramira Cabrera Pérez, a woman whose trajectory constitutes a true example of dedication and service to her town. at a time when Tahíche lacked a nursery and many families needed a safe place to leave their children while they went to work, Ramira opened the doors of her home to care for the little ones. But her work went far beyond daily care. For forty-one years she dedicated her life to teaching them to read and write until, at six years of age, they entered the old rural school of the town. Several generations of neighbors grew up under her affection, her patience, and her dedication, earning the respect and affection of parents and children, who still today remember with enormous gratitude that stage of their lives in Ramira's little school.
The emotion reached its peak when Ramira Cabrera Pérez took the stage to receive the "Silver Insignia," from the musical director of Guagime Fefo Pérez and the group member Olivia Suárez, who bestowed the distinction upon her and presented her with a beautiful bouquet of flowers. the audience enveloped the tribute with a long and heartfelt ovation that turned the recognition into one of those moments destined to remain forever in the collective memory of Guagime.
After this emotional tribute, the Guagime Folk Group offered a brilliant tour through some of the most representative themes of Lanzarote's folklore. Musicians, singers, and the dance troupe once again demonstrated the excellent work the group carries out, receiving the recognition of a completely devoted audience.
The XV edition of the "Como Antaño" Folk Festival will be remembered as one of the most emotional in its history. on the same stage, Tenerife and Lanzarote united their traditions in a fraternal embrace of music, dance, and feeling, demonstrating that folklore continues to be one of the strongest links between the islands.
It was a night where emotion could be felt in every corner of the venue, in the complicity between the participating groups, in the immense joy of a deeply moved honoree, and in the warmth of an audience that did not stop accompanying every moment of the festival with their applause.
Guagime once again demonstrated that preserving traditions does not consist solely of interpreting inherited songs or dances, but also of recognizing people who, from anonymity and with infinite generosity, have contributed to building the history of a town. And few stories better represent that spirit than that of Ramira Cabrera Pérez, whose "Silver Insignia" symbolizes the gratitude of an entire community.