Lina Mayor Pérez, a lawyer born in Femés with 25 years of experience in the profession, opened the patron saint festivities of San Marcial de Rubicón this Tuesday. A "prepared woman, practicing conejera and with a strong character, in the noblest sense of the expression" as she was presented by the mayor of Yaiza, Óscar Noda, who narrated experiences and memories of the town, paying tribute to the figure of the women of the town. "Strong-spirited women, an essential piece in the arduous task of bringing their families forward, who in turn dedicated themselves to the land whose fruits were almost the only sustenance for their families," he said.
Lina symbolized in María, "the real one", the tribute she offered to the women of her town. "María Reyes Figuera, the woman, the grandmother, the friend, the one who helped my mother and so many other women in this town to bring their children into the world." María Reyes, already deceased, is "remembered, admired, loved and respected" in Femés for serving as the town's midwife, but also for welcoming locals and strangers alike into her home without distinction. "She, María, and her husband José, always had their doors open to share their great kindness with friends, family and strangers..."
Among the remembrances of her summer visits to Femés and beautiful stories of the town, the herald mentioned José Rodríguez Cabrera, for the neighbors, Fefo, "whose memory of a good man I extend to many others who with their determination and affection have made us all have a better world."
"Fefo made bread in his oven for all the neighbors, and his children distributed it house by house, in this town, with the intention that no one would lack bread, years in which nothing abounded and this gesture was received with joy," recalled Lina Mayor. "Fefo bought the first television for the Teleclub, painted the church on the eve of San Marcial, the square and the houses of less favored neighbors, also placed a cable from his house to the church and square so that they could have light, also organized a small pilgrimage in honor of San Marcial, a tradition that we should recover," she added.
"Witnesses of the seafaring heritage"
In the hermitage of Femés you can see small boats, models that the herald pointed out as "witnesses of the seafaring heritage of the Canary Islands and especially of this land whose men remained embarked for months away from their homes, in the waters of Africa, the north and distant seas." "And when they arrived at their homes after having overcome a possible tragedy at sea, they brought their protector these models, reproductions of their boats, in the ingrained belief and in gratitude for having overcome a storm or other adverse weather phenomenon," she related.
The act of reading the proclamation ended with the performance of eight children from the Music Classroom of Gabriel Cubas, who performed Canarian pieces, among them, folías written by Martín Rodríguez Camacho, herald of Femés last year, who accompanied Lina Mayor Pérez at the table, together with the mayor of Yaiza, Óscar Noda, and the Councilor for Festivities, Javier Camacho, who on behalf of the City Council presented the herald with a work modeled by the artisan from Uga, Tino Alemán.
Femés will be celebrating throughout this week and will experience its big day, that of San Marcial de Rubicón, on Saturday, July 7, the day of solemn function and procession, which will end at night with the performances of Alexia Caraballo and José Vélez.