Punta Mujeres, the picturesque coastal village of white houses located in the northwest of Lanzarote within the municipality of Haría, began its festivities in honor of Our Lady of the Pine on the night of this past Monday.
Starting at 8:30 p.m., one of the most endearing events of the festive day took place; the recognition of neighbor Jesús Perdomo Ramírez, in a simple but emotional ceremony full of affection and recognition.
Mari Carmen Dorta, president of the Neighborhood Association "El Marinero," was in charge of welcoming the attendees and serving as mistress of ceremonies for an evening dedicated to recognizing the extraordinary work of a man deeply committed to the history, memory, and people of Haría and Lanzarote.
Jesús Perdomo Ramírez has an important and diverse collection of documents and photographs, preserved on different media from public, insular, and provincial archives, as well as private collections and donations from individuals. A particularly valuable part of this archive is related to the evolution of the municipality and its inhabitants, gathering documents that are often difficult to find in public archives, despite their enormous interest for the study of daily life and local history.
His archive has become, over the years, an important source of information for researchers and historians who find valuable testimonies in it to reconstruct the historical processes of the municipality of Haría and the island of Lanzarote.
His work has already received important recognition. Jesús Perdomo Ramírez was distinguished by the Board of Chroniclers of the Canary Islands as "Memorialist of Lanzarote 2017," and on June 1, 2021, the Haría City Council awarded him the Haría Award 2021.
For all these reasons, but also for his dedication to the town, his simplicity, and the affection he has always shown towards his neighbors, the board of directors of the Neighborhood Association "El Marinero" of Punta Mujeres wanted to publicly recognize his extraordinary work. Jesús Perdomo Ramírez was supported throughout the event by family, friends, and numerous neighbors.
Music opened a very special night
The event began with the performance of "Atlántico Trío," made up of three young musicians; Aaron Vera, on the timple, Diego Fajardo, on the violin, and Javier Sebastián on keyboards.
The three performers pleasantly surprised the audience with the quality shown in each of their performances with a very careful staging. Their interpretations, all instrumental, left a magnificent aftertaste and set the artistic bar very high, receiving the warm applause of the attendees at all times.
After the musical performance came the central moment of the evening. Jesús Perdomo Ramírez took the stage accompanied by his wife, where he received recognition from the "El Marinero" Neighborhood Association. The board presented him with a sculpture in the shape of a burgao, while his wife received a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
Supporters of the Association of Friends of Wine and Cheese of Lanzarote and the Board of Trustees of the José Clavijo y Fajardo Foundation also joined this recognition. Mario Pérez was in charge of presenting a sculpture to the honoree.
Subsequently, the president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote and La Graciosa, Oswaldo Betancort, presented him with a commemorative plaque in recognition of his career and dedication.
The big surprise of the night
But when it seemed that the emotional event was coming to an end, the moment that no one expected occurred.
The mayor of Haría, Alfredo Villalba, took the stage to present Jesús Perdomo Ramírez with a case of books by the Lanzarote artist César Manrique published by the Foundation that bears his name. However, the mayor had a surprise prepared that would undoubtedly become the most emotional and outstanding moment of the entire night.
Amidst the anticipation of those present, Alfredo Villalba announced that the Haría City Council will soon name Jesús Perdomo Ramírez "Official Chronicler of the Municipality of Haría," once the corresponding administrative process is completed. In the near future, the official ceremony will be held at which the accreditation title will be presented.
The news came as a complete surprise to those present and, above all, to the honoree himself.
Jesús Perdomo Ramírez was visibly moved. For a few moments, he could not utter a word. With his eyes clouded with emotion, he approached the microphone and could only say one word, "Thank you." He did nothing else.
The public responded resoundingly with an intense and prolonged ovation. The applause echoed strongly and demonstrated the affection and respect that Jesús Perdomo Ramírez arouses among his neighbors, friends, and all those who have had the opportunity to know his work and his commitment to the memory of Haría and Lanzarote.
As he came down from the stage, the congratulations did not cease. Relatives, friends, and neighbors continuously approached him to greet him, hug him, congratulate him, and take pictures with him. It was, without a doubt, one of those moments difficult to forget, both for the honoree and for all those present.
Music once again brought the evening to a close
After the intense moment experienced, music returned to the stage. This time it was the turn of the quartet formed by the solo voices of Ciro Corujo and Elvia Plata, accompanied by the musicians José Vicente Pérez, on the timple, and Manuel Adrián, on the guitar.
The group offered a varied and rich repertoire of Canarian root songs, performed with great sensitivity and followed with enthusiasm by the numerous public gathered in Punta Mujeres.
The evening thus became a beautiful gathering of music, friendship, memory, and recognition, within the beginning of the festivities in honor of Our Lady of the Pine.
But, without a doubt, the big news of the night was the announcement made by the mayor of Haría, Alfredo Villalba: the upcoming appointment of Jesús Perdomo Ramírez as "Official Chronicler of the Municipality of Haría".
A recognition that serves to highlight a lifetime dedicated to preserving, researching, and sharing the historical memory of his municipality and his island. A surprise that no one expected and that deeply moved the protagonist of the night.
Punta Mujeres wanted to pay tribute to one of its most beloved and committed neighbors, and it did so in the best possible way; with the affection of an entire town and with news that Jesús Perdomo Ramírez will surely keep forever in his memory.
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