Uga overflows with emotion and tradition in its pilgrimage offering to San Isidro

Neighbors, male and female, of the town of Uga and dozens of visitors, dressed in typical Canarian costumes, met on the afternoon of this Saturday to participate in the pilgrimage offering to San Isidro Labrador, patron of the southern town and of the primary sector, a great joyful and festive community sharing, but above all a collective expression of tradition, popular devotion and solidarity. “Traditions sustain us,” said a day earlier the town crier Segundo Viñoly Garcés.

Bands and folk groups enlivened the street celebration and animal-drawn carts adorned the pilgrimage route. The pilgrimage began in the upper part of Uga to end at the church facade, in front of the figure of San Isidro, where pilgrims left local produce and essential goods that will be distributed among vulnerable families in the municipality.

The pilgrimage enlivens tradition, it is an act that reaffirms popular sentiment, and thus it was transmitted by pilgrims of various generations, and no longer only with their presence, song or dance, but through the spontaneous declaration of sensations. Gabriela Rodríguez (15 years old), a resident of Uga and voice of the Rubicón Folk Group, stated that “for young people it is a very beautiful feeling because it is our tradition and our culture. Getting together, family, singing and dancing, it is something super beautiful”.

Isamel Cedrés, from the senior group of Yaiza, showed himself happy with the participation of young people, promising to remain faithful "to preserve the tradition". The senior group once again demonstrated that it is one of the great entertainers of the patron saint celebrations of the municipality. During the tour, they did not stop singing and dancing until they reached the expected moment of their folkloric offering to San Isidro, the dance of an isa accompanied by the touch corps of AF Rubicón. The public gathered in the vicinity of the church recognized the dedication and good work of the seniors, rehearsed by Blas Noda and Benito Rodríguez.

The pilgrimage of Uga, in addition to devotion and the outpouring of joy and sharing of homemade dishes and wine from Lanzarote, revealed intimate stories full of emotion, such as that of Nereida Cedrés, born and raised in Playa Blanca: "Today I am wearing a dress from Lanzarote that my mother made, with her own hands, and it is the first time I have worn it since she is no longer here. For me, it is a very special event and I am happy to bring it to these festivities."

The mayor of Yaiza, Óscar Noda, noted that “for Uga, as a town dedicated to agriculture and livestock farming, the figure of its patron saint, San Isidro Labrador, is more than important, and this year, in addition to helping maintain traditions, we are joining the institutional support we provide to the camel sector”. The mayor recalled his time in Rubicón and was encouraged to dance with the Yaiza group.

For his part, the Councilor for Celebrations of Yaiza, Daniel Medina, valued "the participation of neighbors in a living tradition, where all of us have enjoyed the gathering around music and dance and the feeling of brotherhood that characterizes Uga, my town".

The Yaiza City Council thanks each of the drumming and dancing groups, neighbors, visitors, and entire families who joined the pilgrimage and likewise highlights the work of the Yaiza Local Police, Civil Protection, and various security and emergency services who ensured public tranquility.