The countless displays of affection transmitted by the residents of Yaiza to Don Francisco Padrón Viñas, after proclaiming the Remedios festivities, are an unequivocal sign of the respect and admiration that the town has for the illustrious 91-year-old doctor. The mayor, Gladys Acuña, presented Dr. Padrón as a professional with a true vocation for service, linked for more than thirty years to the care of patients in the municipality, emotionally linked to Yaiza, being
also co-owner of the Salinas de Janubio. The public packed the Benito Pérez Armas House of Culture to follow the start of the festivities in honor of the Virgen de Los Remedios.
Don Francisco Padrón gave a glimpse of how health workers had to manage to cure and relieve patients on the Island in the fifties and subsequent decades. Dr. Padrón was appointed doctor of Yaiza in 1949, just the year in which the integration of the municipality of Femés into Yaiza was approved. "The population of Yaiza did not reach 1,500 people, and Femés was less than 600", recalling that he found "a town of kind, affectionate and loving people".
Although he is a specialist in the digestive system, he had to attend to everything from a birth to an autopsy. He consulted, first, at the current headquarters of the mayor's office, and then, at the house of the doctor in Uga, but if a patient could not travel, he went to his place of residence or wherever needed. "Close to the people, dedicated body and soul to medicine, he offered a large part of his life to the municipality of Yaiza without hesitation", the mayor pointed out.
The head doctor of a town 40 or 50 years ago, the
town crier, "had tasks entrusted to him such as assisting Justice, the
Administration, the Army and the wounded until their recovery, reporting to the judge, or attending to the mandate of the mayor". At that time there were hardly any specialists, there were no outpatient clinics, nor the number of doctors that citizens currently have. "We practiced the profession with our knowledge and our hands in the consultation, or in the patient's home where, with our
knowledge and the help of God, we tried to solve the problems, and that, alone, we had to solve". The Insular Hospital was the first sign of the disappearance of the shortage of doctors.
In Don Francisco's proclamation there was no lack of that indispensable point of humor in an event full of memories. Salvador Santana, owner of the only bar restaurant that at that time was in Playa Blanca, said that in a meeting of friends he told one of the participants, who apparently was ill, referring
to Dr. Padrón: "go and have Don Francisco see you, because if he doesn't see things clearly, buy the coffin because you'll need it soon".
The town crier, before referring to the Salinas de Janubio, had words
of gratitude for the medical practitioners of his time and friends and colleagues, among them, Dr. José Molina Orosa, whom he praised for the performance of their work.
As the mayor noted, although Don Francisco spent his childhood and youth in Mácher, he feels Yaiza as his land and the ties with the municipality, if you will, are even closer. In addition to the invaluable service he provided to his neighbors in the area of medicine, he is co-owner of the Salinas de Janubio, one of the emblematic sites in the south of Lanzarote. The property, together with the people who have worked there for more than a hundred years, have allowed the conservation of this beautiful artisanal marine salt extraction center.
"The current salt flats date back to the existence of a wasteland field in which products such as wheat, corn, rye and barley were grown. This is a very little known fact, since Janubio began to take shape as salt flats in 1895", commented the town crier. "The construction of the Salinas de Janubio began with Don Vicente Lleó
Benlliure, leaving the baton to his nephew Don Jaime Lleó Mira, my father-in-law, who, in collaboration with the Cerdeña family and Don Ginés Díaz, continued the work until it was completed approximately in 1945. They are the largest in the Canary Islands and, according to experts, their layout is very ingenious". Don Francisco Padrón Viñas publicly thanked the women and men who have contributed to preserving the artisanal industry for many years and advocated for the maintenance of Janubio. The town crier was very pleased with the invitation from the City Council and his final phrase gives an idea of the affection he has for the municipality: "To finish, I will tell you that I cannot forget Yaiza". The public closed the act with a strong ovation. The Councilor for Festivities, Javier Camacho, was also at the main table.
'Customs and traditions'
Next, Gladys Acuña invited Don Francisco Padrón to the opening of the exhibition 'Customs and Traditions', exquisitely mounted in three rooms of the House of Culture. Visitors have the magnificent opportunity to appreciate, with elements and utensils of yesteryear, what the different spaces of a house in Yaiza were like, and the tools and clothing used by workers in the primary sector. Likewise, there is a room dedicated to shopkeepers that shows the way in which basic consumer products were displayed.
The public attending the inauguration was delighted with the peculiarities of the exhibition.
'Night of dance and revelry'
The first day of festivities was intense and full of joy and emotions. After the proclamation, the opening of the exhibition and enjoying typical food in the stalls, young people and adults recharged their batteries to sing and dance. Three fantastic groups lit the stall in the town square.
Raíces, El Golpito and El Geito not only performed Canarian music, sones
Cubans and Mexican airs, among other rhythms, but with their arrangements and grace they conquered a totally dedicated public that gave the best possible response: applause and dance. The square at midnight became the epicenter of enjoyment, integration and good vibes. The holidays have only just begun. Yaiza opens its arms to welcome residents of Lanzarote and tourists whom it invites to
share the program of celebrations in honor of the Virgen de Los Remedios.
