The Marinera Parranda 'Los Buches' presented last Thursday night at the Insular Theater 'Víctor Fernández Gopar, El Salinero', its show 'From the Heart of the City', on the occasion of the celebration of the '60th Anniversary'. A tribute produced by ROFE and highlighted for honoring one of the most deeply rooted and representative traditions of Arrecife and Lanzarote in general, recognizing the cultural importance of the group. The stage was completely transformed to capture the essence of Arrecife from a port to a street, a canteen, and even a marine fantasy integrating elements of island maritime life and culture.
The event began with welcome words from the president of the Cabildo, Oswaldo Betancort, congratulating 'Los Buches', for their anniversary and also for having been awarded the 'Gold Medal of the Government of the Canary Islands', committing to take the necessary steps to ensure that they are recognized as 'Intangible Heritage of the Canary Islands' first, and then to achieve 'Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO'. At the end of his speech, he presented a commemorative plaque that was collected by the president Juan Antonio Machado Santana.
Then the show began, masterfully conducted by Luismi Junquera, who dressed in marine attire and fully immersed in the role of the sailor (coastal), who after several months working on the coast away from his family and social environment arrived home and for a few days left behind the loneliness, the cold nights with his face covered in salt and burned by the strong rays of the sun and that only the meresia refreshed during the fishing work.
The fishing bank was left behind and Arrecife for a few days smelled of Carnival. The few bars and canteens were the meeting places for friends during the first hours of the day, while they waited for nightfall to head to the societies in search of the woman of their dreams. And if luck was on their side, to get to dance even just one piece with that girl with whom on his nights aboard the ship he could not get out of his mind. Lola, Carmen or María, the important thing was to dance and seal a commitment and on the way back if the fishing had been good to ask for her hand in marriage. While the narrator was telling his dreams, he was accompanied by the musical notes of a piano whose keys were caressed by Professor Ernesto Alemán, in each of the narrator's stagings.
'Los Buches' directed by Francisco Javier Bravo, performed some of the new songs that they have included in their repertoire such as: 'El Pescador', 'Habanera' to César Manrique, 'Vamos a la Mar', which were interspersed with those they have recorded on their album, among them, 'Querida Lola', 'La Batea del Gofio', 'Hombre de la Mar', etc. The animation and joy passed from the stage infecting the public who very animated joined their voices singing and clapping, while the dance body 'Los Bucheros', turned the stalls into a dance floor. The performance was prolonged adding more songs at the request of the public. 'From the Heart of the City', is a show that celebrates the rich cultural tradition of Lanzarote, fusing it with contemporary expressions, reflecting the dynamism and openness of the 'Parranda Marinera de Los Buches' towards the future. The night of February 8 will become part of a before and after for that great family.