Rosana's original proclamation began with her singing on a float, which departed from outside her birthplace in the La Vega neighborhood. Escorted by several vehicles and motorcycles of the Local Police of Arrecife, the bright and colorful float toured the neighborhoods of Arrecife to reach the seaside neighborhood of Valterra (with its port area) and cross the area of the bridges of the Charco de San Ginés, the avenue with the municipal building, and tour the entire maritime front of the capital of Lanzarote, until reaching El Reducto beach, crowded with public.
The universal artist from Lanzarote and Favorite Daughter of Arrecife, Rosana, proclaimed the Fiestas de San Ginés last night, in the capital of Lanzarote, reading an endearing story, written in her own handwriting, through which she took a journey through her life - as the daughter of a coastal resident, and of which she wished "it would be only the beginning, the first page of an infinite story, which is written day by day and never ends...", and "that speaks of each and every one of the people who at some point were part of our history".
A story, "that serves as a legacy to those who wish to know our past without ceasing to make a future", directed to Arrecife, and in which she evoked the experiences of the Arbelo Gopar family, who after residing in the surroundings of "the natural lagoon called Charco de San Ginés" decided to "move to the Barrio de La Vega and 'commission' the one who would soon be the eighth daughter, the chinija", which is what in Lanzarote and La Graciosa the little girls are called -chinijo, the little boys-.
Rosana grew up "surrounded by knockers" that "always kept the three doors" of the family home open, "playing to count heartbeats in the brave heart of my mother who will always be for me the best example of how to die young as late as possible"; and "collecting "hugs from my father, who taught me to fly through the corridors of my house, and who "every time he arrived from the sea, opened his arms and shouted, who loves me!!!??"
A house, with a warehouse and that faced two streets, where the Three Wise Men left her "a guitar that was bigger than me, and on which I slept and dreamed until I was 8 years old (when I received my first song)", Rosana continued in her emotional story in which she remembered "my first two playmates, my first two accomplices and friends, Jose and Sofi, my first two nephews..."; as well as her sisters and brothers -Lolina, Colacho, Antonio, Salvador, Carmen, Gerardo and Suso-, with whom "I treasured different memories".
"Memories in the five senses"
"Some took me to the cinema, others to play sports, to the beach, to the bonfires of San Juan, and of course to the Fiestas de San Ginés... That's why we are here today!... to light the first night of a festival that awakens memories in the five senses," exclaimed the universal artist from Lanzarote.
Rosana evoked the San Ginés of her childhood as "a mixture of everything; smells and tastes of ventorrillo, cotton candy, and roasted pota... the music of the fashionable songs of all eras, in all kinds of attractions, the greeting from afar of the neighbors..."
"Life from the height of a chinija makes everything gigantic... the novel colors of the newly released clothes, and the whitewashing of the facades, made San Ginés a party shared by all the conejeros...", proclaimed the universal artist from Lanzarote, who refused to conclude her story with a 'colorín colorado this story is over', because "this story is not over", she stressed.
"What I will leave written for the time capsule that we leave from today is 'And they were happy'" -she continued- "because that is what I wish you for these San Ginés festivities and for all life. Dear Arrecife!, I toast with you and I toast for you, for those who left, for those who are here and for those who will come. Dear Arrecife!, allow me to mention you today with your first and last name, as always when someone asks me where I was born, and I say with pride that I was born in Arrecife de Lanzarote", Rosana concluded in her reading of the proclamation, where she was introduced by the mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, who highlighted in his speech the coastal origin of Arrecife, first as a port, to be a city and capital of Lanzarote in the second half of the 19th century. The mayor attended dressed in the traditional clothing of the conejero coastal resident.
During his speech, the first mayor recalled the special celebration that Arrecife has in this 2023 where the 225th anniversary of the founding of the Parish of San Ginés Obispo is commemorated, in 1798, and took a tour of the maritime history of the Port of Arrecife, highlighting among its coastal residents the father of the proclaimer, Nicolás Arbelo. Yonathan de León ended his speech by giving Rosana a framed photograph with the model of what was the first fishing boat of Rosana's father, and of which the mayor said, will be part of the future Sea Museum in Arrecife.
For his part, Echedey Eugenio, who opened the round of speeches, encouraged both residents and visitors "to enjoy with joy a festival that offers a rich cultural, traditional and leisure offer, carefully designed to satisfy all tastes and ages", and that include "from traditional events, to exciting sports and entertainment competitions for the whole family".
"We have tried to make every moment of these festivities memorable, let us celebrate together the greatness of our traditions and the union that characterizes us as a community. We are waiting for you with open arms so that together we can live unforgettable festivities in honor of San Ginés", concluded the first deputy mayor and councilor of Fiestas de Arrecife.
After reading the proclamation, Rosana offered the thousands of people who despite the heat gathered at Playa del Reducto and its surroundings a spectacular concert in which as always she gave herself body and soul and that will surely be unforgettable for those who were fortunate enough to enjoy it