After an intense renovation that has returned the Parranda Marinera de Buches to its best times, with commendable respect for its coastal and democratic traditions, this association, which arose from the groups of sailors who in the last century joined in joy and revelry in the old Casa del Pescador and in the genuine José Betancort street, has its sights set on the future, but always contemplating its past with pride.
In an exemplary assembly, in which more than 80% of the census of members participated, with all the democratic guarantees and complying with the associative standards, the professional musician Roberto Gil has been elected by majority as music director of the Parranda Marinera de Buches. He is joined by Rubén Valiente, a dancer who faces with strength and enthusiasm the task entrusted to him through a vote to direct the dance. Both are part of a line of action that this popular group follows to rescue the forgotten heritage and thus respect the legacy of all those people who, since the sixties, have fought so that this unique way of understanding traditional culture never falls into oblivion.
In its imposing social headquarters in Argana Baja, the artist and expert in culture Juan David Machado affirms: “Intergenerationality, which is the creation of communicating vessels between the past and the present, is our objective. We want to transmit the legacy of freedom, joy and community of the men and women who forged Arrecife, so that the new generations feel that they own a group that fights day after day not to disappear".
"We are very lucky that transversal and diverse profiles are approaching the association, who from today's world continue to champion the freedom that in the past was carried by the people of the sea who dared to go out in Carnival in the midst of the era of prohibition”.
Since the current Board of Directors, with Juan Antonio Machado Santana as president, from Arrecife, experienced and veteran buchero, took the reins of an association that was
in the most absolute ruin, all the members set to work, working intensely so that the Parranda Marinera de Buches never falls into oblivion.
There are many achievements that they have achieved, from making a traditional boat in a riverside carpentry through the expert hands of the master Agustín Jordán, to the rehabilitation of its social headquarters that was completely abandoned commanded by Manuel Corujo, rescuing the artisanal technology of conservation of buches thanks to the work of Ángel Diana, generating specific educational content through Damián Rodríguez and Leticia Padilla, to returning to produce shows that bring to the current public all its legacy and cultural heritage among many other initiatives where each associate is essential. The role of the musical subdirector Gaudencio de León is remarkable, who in very hard moments of transition has kept the body of music cohesive.
Currently, they are immersed in getting the Government of the Canary Islands to declare the traditions that this association preserves as an Asset of Cultural Interest and Heritage
Inmaterial Parranda Marinera de Buches. For this, they have requested both the Cabildo and the City Council subsidies that they expect with extreme urgency, and that allow them to develop essential projects so that the buches continue to illuminate, filling with colors and festive sounds every corner of Lanzarote and the world.
Rubén Valiente (Arrecife, 1976)
Rubén Valiente is the current Director of Dance of the Parranda Marinera de Buches, a position he holds with outstanding discipline and a didactic approach. Since 2014, he is also an active member of the Agrupación Los Campesinos, an association with which Los Buches maintain close fraternal ties.
Since his childhood in Playa Blanca, Rubén has been deeply connected with the folkloric artistic practices, rooted in the fishing and coastal traditions of the town. His commitment to Canarian culture extends to his participation in Canarian wrestling and his experience in sailing dinghy regattas, a discipline he practiced from 1989 to 2003.
In his role as dance director, Rubén has implemented an innovative teaching method based on direct experience and self-learning, allowing the participation of people
of all ages and artistic levels in their rehearsal sessions. He has been the architect of the revitalization of traditional dances such as the habaneras dance, the lawsuit, the waltz step and the porteño pasodoble of Los Buches, as well as the re-implantation of the almost forgotten Isa Marinera.
Under his leadership, the dance group has experienced unprecedented growth, transforming from a group about to disappear to a numerous, diverse and
multifaceted, whose presence is now requested in events of regional relevance. Rubén has achieved this success by fostering an enriching, respectful and fun environment, which attracts and retains talents of all kinds in the field of Canarian folk dance.
Roberto Gil (Arrecife, 1971)
Roberto Gil is a renowned musician and educator with a deep connection to traditional Canarian music. He began his musical training at the age of 12 under the tutelage of Valentín Fernández in Los Campesinos, and later at the academy 'Musical Lanzarote' of Florián Corujo, where he deepened in classical guitar and Canarian popular music. Throughout his youth, he joined the Agrupación Folklórica Los Campesinos, the Círculo Guitarrístico de Lanzarote and the group Amasik.
He enriched his musical education with specialized classical guitar courses taught by teachers Blas Sánchez and Domingo Corujo, and continued his academic training at the
Insular Conservatory of Lanzarote with Juan Arrocha. Since the age of 20, Roberto has combined his musical career with teaching, teaching popular music and various stringed instruments in public institutions in several municipalities of Lanzarote, such as Teguise, Arrecife, Yaiza and Tinajo.
Since 2001, Roberto has directed the Agrupación Folklórica Rubicón of the municipality of Yaiza, leading the group in numerous island festivals and cultural projects between 2011 and 2019. He is also the founder of the musical group 'Parranda Raíces', with which he has actively participated in both recordings and various folklore projects, highlighting in television programs of great tradition such as 'Tenderete' and 'Noche de Taifas'.
In addition, he has collaborated with the timplista José Vicente Pérez on several occasions, including appearances on the television program Pa' La Cantina, in a tribute to Casimiro Camacho, an emblematic figure of the solo timple. Currently, he is still active in music, participating in traditional projects and dedicating much of his time to teaching folk music, perpetuating the rich cultural heritage of the eastern islands.