The Parranda Marinera de Buches Association, along with the Culture Area of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, once again filled the Víctor Fernández Gopar 'El Salinero' Theater with its essential annual scenic proposal. An already consolidated event that places Los Buches among the most unique manifestations of traditional carnival in Lanzarote and the archipelago as a whole.
The show Banderas del Tiempo, under the artistic direction of David Machado, proposed an encounter between heritage and contemporary creation, showing how the current can coexist with tradition without diluting its identity. From the beginning, the audience entered a seafaring universe rooted in Arrecife and with a collective projection, where music, dance, and clothing function as a single scenic language.
The performance opened with the Dance of the Renegades, conceived and performed by professional dancer Javier Ferrer along with the folk dance company of the group. The piece was structured around original music by pianist and composer Ernesto Alemán, with instrumentation for baroque guitar, performed by Gabriel Cubas, and theorbo, by Gustavo Navarro, linked to the friendly group Malpaís de La Corona.
Among the premieres of the night, 'Guerra Chica' stood out, a new song created by Alemán and Machado that, with epic and satire, recounts the origin of Los Buches in the 19th century. The vocal section also featured young performers who received an enthusiastic response from the audience, such as Nacho S. Miranda, who surprised with a particularly celebrated performance as a soloist, and Mencey Rodríguez, applauded for his repertoire of habaneras.
The repertoire continued with emblematic songs that are part of the popular imagination of Los Buches, such as La Batea, Niña Bonita, Adiós, mi barco velero, or Querida Lola, among other classics. Throughout the performance, a central idea was emphasized: the association not only presents a show, but also works on the historical contextualization of its rituals, its music, and its dance, reinforcing the social understanding of tradition and its intergenerational transmission.
One of the most anticipated moments was the investiture of the buchero or the buchera at 16 years of age, the age at which, according to the current internal protocol, the bucheritos become active members of the demonstration. In this edition, the young Paulina Delgado became a buchera through a community gesture: her family placed, one by one, the garments that make up the canon of attire, culminating with her mask and her buche, central symbols of the rite. Atchen Martín Cáceres, a dancer and buchero, acted as master of ceremonies. The scene once again brought to the forefront the family and community nature of Los Buches, an entity in which entire generations coexist and, at the same time, new members are added, strengthening the collective project.
The show also included two moments of recognition for figures of popular culture. On the one hand, a tribute was paid to Pepe Borges and the disappeared group Amigos de Portonao with the revival of the song 'El paseíto de don Tomás', performed as a soloist by Araceli Domínguez. On the other hand, the performance of El Volador paid tribute to the shipwright Agustín Jordán, present on stage, in a version performed by its creator, Sergio Betancort.
From the association, the president Juan Antonio Machado and the artistic direction underlined the collective value of the continuity of tradition and the importance of the role of public administrations: "Saving Los Buches is an action for everyone. If we don't take care of them, a fundamental part of what makes us Lanzaroteños will become extinct. That is why the support of the Cabildo de Lanzarote in the continuity of this show is not only important, but necessary. The public and private funding we receive has a positive and decisive impact on the cultural and professional sector of the arts in Lanzarote."
The night also featured the participation of Los Diabletes de Teguise and the presence, as an audience, of prominent representatives of civil society linked to the cultural and associative sphere of the island. Likewise, the support that makes possible the development of these traditional carnival events was highlighted, thanks to the sponsorship of the Art, Culture and Tourism Centers of Lanzarote.
For their part, Rubén Valiente, head of dance, and Roberto Gil, musical head, agreed that "Los Buches are re-emerging with strength, as one of the most important traditions of the Canary Islands deserves. The show demonstrates that we are not only alive, but that there is talent and a future".
The public's response to the departure once again confirmed the outstanding nature of this annual event and the level of the participating cast, with special mention to the drive of the youth and collaborations such as those of Omar Pérez, Miguel Ángel Cabrera, Carmen García, and Adrián Niz, among others already mentioned.
