The Ranchos de Pascuas enhance the historical memory of Lanzarote and constitute a compendium of tradition, the greatest asset a people can have. Like each of the numerous and exciting values of traditional culture, they should be lavished by introducing them into the corresponding levels of education and social consideration.
Pride in our own, in short, Canarian identity, must be a common and widely shared asset. The identity card of men and women who transmit the oldest form of music known to humanity, oral music, one of the many cultural jewels that we must maintain and defend to the end in our islands.
In these days leading up to Christmas in Lanzarote, the Ranchos de Pascuas summon the people to attend the meetings that they carry out with great enthusiasm in some churches, theaters and socio-cultural centers.
It is what happened this Monday at 8:00 p.m. in the church of Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria in Tías, which included the participation of Los Ranchos de Mácher, Yaiza and Tías formed by men and women, who in September meet in the rehearsal places to review the songbook and fine-tune the instruments.
The texts they sing are, for the most part, repertoire. These are texts fixed in tradition, but improvisation always appears, on the part of the soloist, to adapt the song to the circumstances of the place and time.
The instruments are mostly stringed (guitars, lutes, bandurrias and timples), also having the so-called percussion instruments such as tambourines, tambourines, triangles and swords.
The three Ranchos de Pascuas participating in this meeting were at all times very supported by the applause of the numerous public that filled the permitted capacity in the church. Adrián Sosa, parish priest of the municipality of Tías, congratulated the members, inviting all those present to participate in the masses scheduled for Christmas.
