The 50th anniversary of the Lanzarote National Park, managed by the Department of Ecological Transition and Energy of the Government of the Canary Islands, experienced one of its most emotional activities this weekend.
The town of Uga hosted the Tribute to Yaiza, a tribute to the neighborhood of the southern municipality that "cared for and made this volcanic land fruitful decades before it was declared a national park."
“The park is coming back to the people. We love learning from you and passing on that knowledge. The human quality we have here is probably even better than the biodiversity of Timanfaya. This is for you and for those who were here before you,” said Pascual Gil, director-curator of the Timanfaya National Park.
The Uga Camel Interpretation Center hosted the first day of the Tribute to Yaiza on Friday. The organization screened a video starring three people whose lives have taken place in Timanfanya. Among them, Vicenta Bravo, a salt worker and expert connoisseur of the southern coast of the national park; Ines Caraballo, whose ancestors emigrated from the villages buried by the lava to nearby towns such as Las Breñas and Gregorio Fuentes, a camel driver who has traveled the mountains of Timanfaya hundreds of times.
The three received the affection and respect of the Timanfaya National Park, representing all the families who have worked in the salt harvest, in the camel sector and in the unique volcanic agriculture of Lanzarote.
“In Lanzarote we have a jewel that we must protect and the Lanzarote Council will not stop working on its conservation,” said Francisco Aparicio, Minister of Security and Emergencies of the Lanzarote Council.
“This is a recognition of those families who have been the protectors of the Timanfaya National Park, to those people who sought a way for the lands covered by lava to be fruitful, who went with their donkey to dry fruit and get up at five in the morning to harness the camels,” recalled Óscar Noda, mayor of Yaiza on Friday in Uga.
The first day of the tribute concluded with the music of José Vicente Pérez and Adrián Pérez, with the verses of Gregorio Felipe, learned from his father Vicente, and with Inés Caraballo thanking for the inheritance received from his grandfather Gabino: “sensitivity, love for nature and defense of our heritage.”
“What's in that box?”
Knowing in order to preserve, that is the key to environmental education, the leading activity of the second day of the 'Tribute to Yaiza' that on Saturday, June 28 brought together several families from the municipality willing to learn by playing. “I dare to put my hand in the box, what's inside?”, a girl wondered, looking curiously at the Surprise Chests, which invited her to recognize through touch some elements present in the nature of Timanfaya.
Intergenerational groups played El Rosco de Timanfaya, an adaptation of the well-known Pasapalabra program that taught them to identify the song of various birds of Timanfaya and to recognize the importance of a lichen in the ecosystem.
“The game does not understand ages and is a magnificent way to learn. We know much more than we think and the transmission of knowledge from our elders is very important,” said the environmental education team of the Timanfaya National Park.
During the day, which included musical performances and an artisan market, messages continued to be heard to raise awareness about the importance of knowing and conserving the natural environment (“Each stone tells a story: don't take it away”) and phrases that invited to connect with the volcano consciously (“Here nature speaks: listen to it, respect it”).
