But the history of the House of Fear does not begin there, it begins with the initiative of some residents of the area who met around the pond to play cards and "have a pinch" among friends. That was about thirty-five years ago when the society was not even constituted as such. Then they managed to settle in the House of Fear, but not the current one, but the real house that was scary because it lacked light and water, "where we had parties and played cards among cobwebs and darkness, the House of Fear where there is now an undeveloped lot", says the president of the society, Manuel Basilio Santana or Manolín, as everyone knows him. Manolín comments that the heirs of the old headquarters wanted to sell and demolish the building "which was falling apart and was even more scary". That's when they were changing places with difficulty until they finally settled in the current location, built by the same partners with scarce material resources. For the house, which was registered on April 24, 1987, "we each put in something like 20,000 pesetas to be able to raise it", adds Manolín
Currently, the conversations from more than thirty years ago still resonate, the San Ginés festivities that have brought so many people together in the pond and the old murga of the House of Fear, "pioneer in the carnivals of Lanzarote and made exclusively to have fun and not to compete", adds Manolín. These memories are joined by the memory of those who are no longer in the society but remain indelible. Such is the case of José Trujillo Cañada, or also called "Titi Pepe", one of the partners who knew how to give a genuine spirit to the House of Fear. Manolín, president of the society, still has the image of "Titi Pepe" dancing in the murga because "he made us have a very good time with his temperament, which he maintained until the last moments of his life". Another of the most veteran was the neighbor of the House of Fear, Santiago Betancor, faithful to his daily visits to his neighbors of the society. The House of Fear is full of photos and memories. Many have visited this place where neighbors from all the neighborhoods of Arrecife gather. On the walls there are images of the veterans who used to play football, of boats built by themselves for the sailing regattas, and images of a peaceful Arrecife that today would seem unrecognizable to anyone.
The society of the House of Fear has one hundred and ninety-two members captured during all these years for the mere fact of making everyone who visits it feel comfortable. It is easy to know what the history of the House of Fear tastes like. Taste of sea, fish and neighborhood bustle. Everything that is there is directly related to the sea: boats, decoration with portholes, boats, sails, and of course the Charco de San Ginés. A place where parties are held every year that were once very visited because "we held championships of sailing, envite, domino, and games for children such as the jolatero and the cucaña, two games that have persisted in the tradition of the House of Fear. "A jolatero is a boat made with a drum, they were very difficult to handle and if you were not careful it would turn over" comments Manolín recalling many of the anecdotes resulting from falls and tumbles of the participants.
Today the House of Fear continues to maintain its vitality, with new projects in mind and with renewed illusions, but above all making everyone who appears there feel at home. The society continues to organize parties that this year coincided with the XIX Anniversary. In addition, it currently launches initiatives such as painting or macramé workshops, card championships, talks, etc...
Manolín, current president of the society, and José Manuel Gutiérrez, first president of the House of Fear, were talking about putting something new together. The conversation sounded like a party. Perhaps the laughter of the old murga will not be recovered and it is possible that the presence of a figure like "Titi Pepe" will not be repeated, but the House of Fear still has a long way to go. As a reminder, if you walk through the Charco de San Ginés you may see two tibias and a skull: they are not reckless pirates, they are neighbors of Arrecife who, without the cobwebs and darkness that once gave them their name, keep the peaceful life on the shores of the pond intact.
