The XVI Island Book Fair, which is being held for the first time on the banks of the Charco de San Ginés, hosted the presentation of Juan Brito's book "Sorondongos de Lanzarote" this Wednesday, May 5, at the Casa del Miedo. The writer and director of Publications of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Félix Hormiga, and the representative of the Popular Center of Canarian Culture, editor of the "Sorondongos de Lanzarote", Remedios Sosa, together with the Councilor for Culture of the Arrecife City Council, Lorenzo Lemaur, were in charge of giving way to the "brilliant work of this illustrious conejero", which recalls the beginnings of the Lanzarote sorondongo by the hand of the folklorist José María Gil.
With an emotional memory of what Juan Brito's contribution to Canarian and Lanzarote popular culture has been, Félix Hormiga highlighted the inflection that Juan Brito's creation of the group "Los Campesinos" in 1965 meant for Canarian folklore. For the writer Félix Hormiga, "Sorondongos de Lanzarote" is a book "to have fun, enjoy it and thank its author", which he did once his dissertation was finished. "With this book, Juan Brito invites us to a dinner, where he sets the plates, cutlery and food and, from there, he lets us do it," he said.
Remedios Sosa, for her part, delved into the different professions of "this teacher from Lanzarote". In this sense, Sosa spoke of his influence on the archeology of the island, founding the Archaeological Museum of Arrecife in 1972, located in the Castle of San Gabriel, where approximately 2,000 pieces rescued by him are exhibited.
"In crafts, his work has been very important, not only for his outstanding work as a ceramist, but also for having managed to make this artisan activity reborn on the island, maintaining contacts with the only ceramist that remained in Lanzarote," said the representative of the Popular Center of Canarian Culture.
Juan Brito undertook other important initiatives for Lanzarote, such as the work of getting all the houses painted white or that all the propaganda posters existing on roads and large open spaces disappeared, also advising on the works carried out in the Tourist Centers of the Cabildo de Lanzarote.
Finally, an emotional Juan Brito before the presence in the room of his wife, whom he did not expect, had a memory for the family of José María Gil, who also attended this presentation, his daughter reading one of the sorondongos created by José María Gil and performed by "Los Campesinos".
The presentation of "Sorondongos de Lanzarote" concluded with a masterful performance by the Folkloric Group "Guadarfía" of San Bartolomé, which performed folías, seguidillas, malagueñas, isas and the famous sorondongo.
Other novels
This Wednesday afternoon was very prolific in book presentations, highlighting the novel published by the Teguise City Council "Famine, epidemics and health in Lanzarote", a story that addresses the struggle of the inhabitants of the island for survival. Similarly, new authors such as José María de Páiz and his book "I Danced with the Moon" also had a place in the House of Fear.
"Famine, epidemics and health in Lanzarote", by Francisco Hernández and María Dolores Rodríguez Armas, is the result of an investigation that speaks of migrations, droughts, famines, popular customs, pirate invasions and the popular medicine of healers that coexists with orthodox medicine.
On the other hand, the presentation of the second literary work by José María de Páiz, "I Danced with the Moon", was the last story presented this Wednesday. A novel of "dirty realism", of which De Páiz highlighted three elements that are constantly repeated in his novel: sex, drugs and alcohol, in addition to environments as well known in Arrecife as the Charco de San Ginés or the Rocar warehouses.
Music to liven up the afternoon
The Modern Music Classroom of the Conservatory and the Music School of Lanzarote enlivened this literary afternoon with a great concert, which was attended by the Councilor for Culture of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Francisco Cabrera, who praised the work that has been carried out annually and specifically every Music Week.
Previously, from 5:00 p.m., there was children's entertainment with the Ludomóvil El Trompo, which brought together numerous children who played around the culture of the book.
Likewise, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., activities to promote reading were carried out in the Municipal Library stand by the Globoflexia Workshop. The 14 stands participating in the XVI Island Book Fair opened throughout the afternoon, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
On Thursday, May 6, there was a storytelling performance by Pep Bruno and the presentation in the halls of the Casa del Miedo of the project of the Center for Teachers (CEP) of Lanzarote "Promotion of reading in the school environment. Practical experiences".