The Plaza de Los Remedios, in the heart of the municipality of Yaiza, was the perfect setting for a magical night dedicated to the roots and feelings of the Canarian people. At the foot of the 17th-century church that guards Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios, patron saint of Yaiza, the endearing Rubicón Festival was held last Friday, August 29, organized by the Agrupación Folklórica Rubicón, host and soul of this cultural encounter.
With full capacity and a summer temperature that accompanied the evening, the festival began promptly at 9:00 p.m. The voices in off belonging to two members of the host group, Teresita López and César Rijo, read an emotional fragment of the interview conducted by César Rijo with Doña María de la Cruz Eugenio in January 2004, thus paying tribute to the oral memory and popular knowledge of what the festivities were like in those years.
The Rubicón Folk Group
The Rubicón Folk Group, founded in October 2001 as part of an initiative of the Department of Culture of the Yaiza City Council, was in charge of opening the night with the interpretation of the energetic "Isa del Uno", wearing their traditional work clothes of the Lanzarote peasantry of the 20th century. Today, with 46 members between the dance troupe and the musical group, the group remains firm in its commitment to preserve and disseminate the cultural legacy of Lanzarote, under the presidency of Teresita Gutiérrez, with Roberto Gil as musical director and Magdalena Cáceres at the head of the dance troupe.
The stage also hosted the special guests of this edition; the Los Dóniz Folk Group, from the municipality of Los Realejos, in the north of Tenerife. Officially founded in 2005 in the Las Llanadas neighborhood, its history goes back much further, to the 1960s, when Don Delmiro Doniz and his sons toured parties and sales in the Valle de La Orotava sharing their music. Today, his legacy continues to live on thanks to new generations who keep that love for traditions intact. Under the presidency of Pedro Dóniz, the musical direction of Filiberto López and the coordination of the dance troupe by Arturo Ibáñez, the group presented itself with eight dance couples and a large musical group of twenty musicians.
The festival was developed with great dynamism, in an atmosphere of joy, mutual respect and celebration of the Canarian identity. The performances followed one another without a break, filling the square with color, rhythm and emotion. Los Dóniz performed pieces as heartfelt as "Berlina del Escobonal", "Niña de ojos Azulez", "Saltonas Antiguas", "Polka a Santa Cruz" and "Seguidillas Manchegas", while Rubicón opted for the most emblematic of Lanzarote with themes such as the "Sorondongo", "Folías", "Seguidillas de Lanzarote", "Malagueñas", among others.
The night culminated with a lively "Isa Parrandera", in which both groups shared the stage in an exciting grand finale that left the audience on their feet, applauding enthusiastically. Once again, the Rubicón Festival not only achieved its goal of showing the work and dedication of an entire year, but also reaffirmed its place as an essential event in the cultural calendar of the municipality.
Thanks to the effort, perseverance and love for our roots, the Rubicón Folk Group continues, more than two decades after its foundation, sowing identity and reaping applause. A night to remember, where Yaiza vibrated to the sound of the Canary Islands.