The exhibition 'Sailing Through Memory', a collection of twelve models of fishing boats that the highest institution acquired for the island's heritage, was inaugurated this Monday morning.
The Cabildo of Lanzarote, through the Historical Heritage Service, has carried out a cataloging work of the work of Marcial Cabrera Reyes, 'Chalo', who died in December 2021, collecting data related to the measurements, construction dates and materials used for the elaboration of these replicas that allow us to delve into the role of Lanzarote in "relation to fishing", the "beginnings of Arrecife as a base port at the end of the 19th century and its subsequent development throughout the 20th century".
The president of the Cabildo, Oswaldo Betancort, thanked the family of Marcial Cabrera for their interest in having this collection in public hands, a wish of the craftsman himself despite the fact that he had offers for its acquisition by private entities. "Today, Chalo's dream comes true. With that intention, the Cabildo of Lanzarote acquires this magnificent collection consisting of 11 models of boats, which are actually 12 since Don Marcial freely gave number 12, the Rosarito boat, one of the fishing boats that Marcial Cabrera himself captained more than 50 years ago."
"This collection of 12 boats is a work of goldsmithing that accurately replicates some of the fishing boats that have been part of our maritime history, and is the common thread of the life of a man who has always been passionate about boats, scrutinizing all their nuances," said the president of the Cabildo at the presentation of the event.
For her part, the Councilor of the Heritage Area, Ascensión Toledo, explained that the exhibition makes a "review of life on board the boats, naval construction on the island, routes and navigation instruments and the different harvests that sailors have carried out since their first steps at the end of the 19th century and their development as the main activity of Lanzarote during a good part of the 20th century." And she invited the entire population to "visit and learn about the result of the work of 'Sailing Through Memory', which can be visited at Calle Fajardo, number 5, in Arrecife, from Monday to Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Admission is free and it is expected to remain open to the public for at least 1 year.
