If there is a trait of Lanzarote folklore that symbolizes joy, mysticism and the island's deep connection with the sea, it is the one embodied by the Parranda Marinera de Buches. After many years of gradual decline that threatened its disappearance, the centuries-old group has returned to the stage with unusual force. Their latest proposal, Winds of Joy, brought together more than 600 spectators in a packed El Salinero theater on the night of this Friday, February 28, where the renewing breath of Los Buches was evident from the first moment.
The evening began with the exhibition of the historic "Carnival sheets", an almost forgotten tradition that, thanks to the collaboration with the Mararía association, is regaining its original shine. Punctual at eight in the afternoon, and with the expectation of the public on edge, the curtain opened to give way to the annual show of Los Buches, one of the most genuine ways of understanding the urban Carnival of Lanzarote.
The artistic direction and event management was carried out by the plastic artist and cultural manager David Machado, while the musician and cultural producer Ubay Alemán assumed the stage and interpretation direction. Both have combined tradition and contemporaneity in a montage that, without losing its seafaring essence, reveals the creativity of more than 314 years of documented history (and a probable even more distant origin).
The function began with the curtain closed and the voice-over of Roberto Gil, musical director of the entity, reciting a poetic text by David Machado that alluded to the Canarian identity and the capacity for resistance that characterizes the island of Lanzarote. When the curtain rose, eight dancers dressed in white with a sash performed the premiere piano piece Danza de Los Renegados, composed by maestro Ernesto Alemán after investigating in depth the buchero legacy and its link with the sea.
The choreography, designed by Rubén Valiente and Vanessa Pérez, intertwined comedy, solemnity and a contemporary tinge that moved the audience, bringing more than one tear to their eyes. The president of the association, Juan Antonio Machado, summarized the general feeling: "Although as a society we can fall, we always get up, just as we have done in Los Buches; two years ago we were on the verge of disappearing and today we celebrate this rebirth."
One of the most commented aspects of the night was the generational difference of the dancers and musicians, with ages ranging between 6 and 80 years, proof of the inclusive nature pursued by the new management of Los Buches. After this musical opening, the voice-over of Gabriela, a young singer from Rubicón, gave way to the scenic and musical recital of the parranda. The body of music, under the baton of Roberto Gil, who has had the responsibility and hard work of recomposing the musical part of Los Buches, proudly wore their monteras with masks, recovered thanks to the advice of the expert in traditional clothing Ricardo Reguera, while the Rubicón choir and renowned island musicians such as Adrián Niz, Omar Pérez, Samuel García and Miguel Ángel Cabrera raised the sound atmosphere.
In the theatrical part, the actors Isabel Cabrera, Germán Barrios and Eduardo Curbelo brought to the stage a story full of nostalgia and optimism, whose axis was based on the vital relationship of the population with the sea and respect for personal decisions. The purest forms of Canarian tragicomedy associated with Carnival were respected, transferring to the present a discourse of freedom that does not forget its roots.
"While other groups or projects that use the Lanzarote brand usually resort to external talent, we wanted to bet on the professionalism and local experience," said David Machado. This militant vision of dignifying the artists of the island of David has had the institutional support of the Cabildo de Lanzarote and its Culture Area.
In the musical section, a repertoire full of surprises was presented, highlighting three unpublished compositions: Habanera para Arrecife, lyrics by the Lanzarote poet Jaime Quesada and performed by the young singer Josué Suárez; Recuerdos, composed and performed by the musical subdirector Sergio Betancort; and Sorondongo de Los Navegantes, by David Machado and Lana Corujo, sung by the veteran Manuela Fernández. In addition, a censored stanza (1937-1963) of the traditional La Batea was rescued, interpreted with great irony by the young buchero Joel Diana.
The revitalization of the dance corps of Los Buches, practically disappeared in the early nineties, has been another of the priorities of the new board. In just two years, Rubén Valiente and the Physical Education teacher Vanessa Pérez have consolidated a passionate group that, in just a year and a half of rehearsals, already stands out for its freshness and energy. Together with the dance corps of Rubicón, with whom they performed the Sorondongo, they have woven a twinning strategy that merges the folklore "from within" with the "from the sea".
In the dressing rooms, the buchero master Ángel Diana, considered one of the last guardians of a three-hundred-year-old knowledge, launched a warning message. In the words of Ángel Diana: "If the Cabildo does not help us with the Los Buches synthetic project, this tradition will disappear forever. Imagine seeing us dance with plastic bottles instead of buches. Does one of the most important groups of the traditional culture of Lanzarote have to go through that? The project has been presented, only the necessary financing is needed." The buchero master declared that the survival of these cultural symbols depends largely on the sensitivity and economic support of the institutions.
The transcendence of the act was evidenced by the presence of various authorities and social figures of the island. As a representative of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, the Councilor for Education, María Ascensión Toledo, attended, while Lucia Olga Tejera attended as a Canarian parliamentarian. Representing the Culture Area of the Cabildo was the technician Alejandro Aguilar.
Likewise, there was no shortage of personalities of recognized prestige in the culture and society of Lanzarote, among them Toñín Corujo, Domingo Corujo, Toñín Ramos (president of the Torrelavega Society), Nieves Rosa Hernández (president of the Mararía association), Liberto Santana (Maho people), the ceramist Tino Alemán, the businessman and Buche de Oro 2024 Nicolás Martín, the former president and honorary member Paulino García, the chronicler of Los Buches and memorialist of Lanzarote Oscar Torres, the professor and expert in traditional clothing of Lanzarote Ricardo Reguera, the head of the Office of the Biosphere Reserve of Lanzarote Ana Carrasco as well as members of the Barrios Orquestados project, who joined this celebration of the island's heritage among other prominent figures and entities.
The overwhelming success of Vientos de Alegría has prompted the management team of Los Buches to project new stage proposals for the year 2026, trusting that the Cabildo de Lanzarote will increase the annual nominated subsidy received by the group. With this, they hope to extend the time of scenic action, so that this cultural relaunch has continuity and consolidates Los Buches as one of the undisputed references of the island tradition.
The montage, produced by the Cultural Association Parranda Marinera de Buches and co-produced by the Culture Area of the Cabildo de Lanzarote and ROFE, has also been possible thanks to the sponsorship of the Art, Culture and Tourism Centers, and the collaboration of Rubicón, Mararía and the Fishing School. The Los Buches team has expressly thanked the involvement of the public workers of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, as well as companies and professionals such as Tecnosoud, Fase, Shelma Zebensuí (lights), Samuel and Ivanhoe (sound), Lana Corujo (graphic design) and the room and access control staff of El Salinero. Without the commitment and professionalism of all of them, this renewed success would not have seen the light with such intensity.
With Winds of Joy, the Parranda Marinera de Buches demonstrates that tradition and innovation can sail together towards a horizon of hope, without losing the helm of the most genuine and multicultural Canarian identity. The challenge now lies in prolonging that energy and ensuring the necessary resources so that the cultural and festive flame of the Buches continues to shine for generations to come.
