The Canarian Governing Council has approved awarding the Gold Medal of the Canary Islands to the Diabletes de Teguise. These awards offer recognition to people or entities for their work for the benefit of Canarian society, from civil protection and care work, to technological promotion and the conservation and promotion of musical and cultural manifestations.
The regional Executive has highlighted that Los Diabletes de Teguise are "a vibrant expression of a deep-rooted tradition, which is intertwined with culture and magic, in a display of celebration and folklore, a product of the mixture of autochthonous beliefs, Castilian influences and witchcraft connotations that were developed from the end of the 15th century".
Precisely, in the 15th century, "the first Moorish and black slaves arrived in Teguise, who brought with them their superstitious practices and enriched the cultural fabric of the island." Thus, they have highlighted that the clothing and characteristic elements of Los Diabletes de Teguise reflect their symbolism and add an air of mystery and wonder to their presence.
The awards will be presented at the official event of Canary Islands Day, on May 30, at the Pérez Galdós Theater in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, together with the Canary Islands Awards, which are awarded to Eduardo Aznar Vallejo, in the Historical Heritage category; Basilio Valladares, in Innovation and Research; and Gonzalo González, in Fine Arts.