During the past 16th century, the Franciscans introduced the Ranchos de Ánimas (Ranches of Souls) to the Canary Islands, large groups of people who traveled through the towns singing songs that often reminded of the deceased.
These groups arose from the confraternities in which the faithful prayed and celebrated masses for their "souls" -from the Latin, "alma"-, to help them out of purgatory, and on their journey through the different streets they collected offerings or money, in order to carry out these meetings for the deceased.
In this way, the Ranchos de Ánimas began their journey on the eve of All Saints' Day and continued until February 2, Candlemas Day. However, the mournful chants and prayers for the deceased became more cheerful songs during Christmas, thus emerging the Ranchos de Pascuas (Christmas Ranches), a tradition that, to this day, is only preserved in Lanzarote during the Christmas period.
Teguise, the oldest in Lanzarote and among the longest-lived in the Canary Islands
And it is also on this island, specifically in the municipality of Teguise, where one of the Ranchos de Pascuas with the most history in the archipelago is located.
Taking as a starting point the same moment in which the Franciscans brought those of souls, a group was created that today, five centuries later, continues to make its journey during the Christmas season to announce the birth of Jesus. In the case of this town, its ranch is characterized by having its own clothing and for being the only one that has dance.
Adrián Villalba joined this group when he was about 8 years old. Now, 25 years later, he continues to be linked to the project as president: "I entered what is known as the Rancho Chico (Small Ranch), where the quarry is, and at about 16 or 17 years old I moved to the Rancho Viejo (Old Ranch)", he explains to La Voz.
And like the member, many other people previously went through this same process, since as he himself recognizes, maintaining a tradition of this type for five centuries is not trivial. "We have managed to bring it to the present with great enthusiasm, and always remembering that we like what we do and we do not want the customs of our town to be lost".
Archinech de Tinajo, around half a century of history
In the case of the town of Tinajo, the Ranchos de Pascuas arrived quite some time later, with the first traces dating back to 1974. They were made up of seven or eight people and, after a few years in operation, they disappeared due to the emigration of their members to other islands or Venezuela, people who, with their return to Lanzarote, brought this practice back with them.
This Rancho differs because it not only announces the birth, but also performs melodies for friends or the land.
Although they are separated by three centuries, as in the case of Teguise, the Rancho Archinech de Tinajo also, at present, is clear that "this ancestral custom of our ancestors must be maintained, who have always instilled in us the need to maintain the legacy of their parents and grandparents", indicates Urbano Hernández, member of the group.
Urbano entered this world at about twelve "when a member who had also started recently came to look for me" and today he is 48 years old. "When I got there and saw those older people, who were giving their all to maintain the tradition that their former relatives had started, I knew that I had to help prevent it from disappearing", he recalls.
Young people, aware of the importance of tradition
In order not to lose it, it is essential to incorporate young people. However, Urbano defends that this inclusion and mixture between ages is not difficult: "The youngest are comfortable with the elders, from the moment they arrive they integrate because they quickly learn that they are fighting to preserve the Canarian heritage".
In the case of Teguise, Adrián comments that "there is a lot of talent", a fact that they have achieved in part thanks to the implementation of a project to visit the educational centers of the municipality, inviting children to join this experience.
And, like them, the public also continues to value this tradition and attend every year, both locals and foreigners.
Urbano recalls when, during the beginnings of the Ranchos, "if someone did not pass by a house, the next day the owner complained, and they ended up going to sing to him". Nowadays "many people continue to maintain this special bond, and miss the songs when they do not have them, as happened during the pandemic period", explains Adrián.
"There is much to analyze about the Ranchos de Pascuas"
Therefore, although both recognize that institutionally the Ranchos de Pascuas are very well valued, both at a regional level -with the past delivery of a gold medal by the Government of the Canary Islands- as local -where, for example, in Teguise in front of the church there is a sculpture that promotes this emblem of the town-, it is still necessary to investigate them.
"There is much to analyze and write, because in each neighborhood there was a group of this type, and we still lack a lot of information", says Urbano.
However, what has been evidenced -and maintained- is the special character of this cultural heritage, which differentiates and individualizes the island of Lanzarote, since, in Adrián's opinion, the Ranchos are Christmas: "Without the Ranchos de Pascuas this celebration would not be the same".
For his part, Urbano goes back to the moment of his childhood in which he saw "those teachers playing: there I realized that it was an oral document that they were leaving us, open books that must be listened to and learned about where they rehearsed, how they played".
"A town has to maintain its culture, because if it does not go through life having a tradition, something of its own, that differentiates them", concludes the member of the Tinaja group.
*Photos of the Rancho de Pascuas de Teguise: Norberto de León
