The family of the Gaida Folk Group of Tías celebrated on Saturday night the XVI Folk Festival Montaña de Gaida in the Municipal Theater of Tías. This edition featured a reference of folklore on the island of Fuerteventura, such as the La Oliva Folk Group, created in 1970 by the always beloved and remembered Lanzarote folklorist based in La Oliva, Esteban Ramírez de León.
In these 54 years, many men and women have been part of this family, taking the name of La Oliva, Fuerteventura and the Canary Islands to many stages throughout the Canary Islands, the peninsula, Africa and Europe. The intense trajectory of the La Oliva Folk Group is plagued with numerous performances in regional festivals and countless folk encounters, its valuable work is recorded forever in the extensive audiovisual archive of Fuerteventura and the Canary Islands. Currently, its president Esteban Ramírez Suárez is the only member who remains active since its creation 54 years ago. The musical direction is in charge of Isidro Ramírez and, at the head of the dance direction, Juan Luis Reyes.
For this special night they chose the most representative of the island of Majorera such as: Fulgida Luna, Berlina e Isa Majorera, Malagueñita de los Novios y Folias, Seguidillas y Saltonas. The audience present in the theater rewarded them with their applause.
The second place was for the hosts and organizers of the festival, the family of the Gaida Folk Group, chaired by the folklorist neighbor of Tías, Emilio Fernández, a reference of Lanzarote and Canarian folklore in general. The Gaida Folk Group takes its name from the Gaida mountain located in the municipality of Tías, which welcomes the town of La Asomada on its slope, watching over the vineyards of La Geria and Masdache. Very smiling, he greets the farmer next to his sister, the Guardilama mountain. Its 40 members, men and women, are always willing to collaborate participating in festivals and pilgrimages taking the name of Lanzarote, Tías and the Canary Islands wherever they go and always respecting the traditional songs and dances, as well as their costumes, a legacy that they proudly wear since the decade of the 60s.
The direction of the Gaida Folk Group for this XVI Festival, had the special collaboration of three young and great soloists from Lanzarote such as: Marcial de León, Rebeca Álvarez and Nayara Viñoly giving a different touch in each of their interventions such as the Seguidillas, Folías, Isas, Sorondongo and Malagueña, the most representative of the folklore of Lanzarote receiving as a reward for their dedication and good work their applause.
