This book, "La bola canaria", is part of the collection "Native and Traditional Games and Sports of the Canary Islands", what is the purpose of this collection?
Yes, this book is part of this collection, promoted by the Cabildo of Tenerife. Its purpose is to cover all the traditional Canarian games and sports. For the moment, this is the fourth one published, after wrestling, sailing and the "garrote" (a type of canarian fighting with sticks), and now it is planned to continue with the "arrastre" (cattle dragging), hand ball, and all the others that remain.
Who is this book aimed at? At Canarians who already know what this sport consists of or at those who have never heard of it?
I think to everyone, in general. For people who do not know the "bola", in this book they have from the basic techniques of the game, with a simple language and with drawings, to the positions of legs and arms, and the way of shooting. And for people who already know what it consists of, it explains a little about the origin, the teaching centers that exist in the Canary Islands, the development, a wide range of what the game is.
Are these types of books also intended to extend these traditions to new generations?
Yes, of course, children can also understand it perfectly. It is very simple and also talks about school games, about leagues that are organized in schools today, especially in Tenerife and Fuerteventura.
You were born in Lanzarote, has this influenced your fondness for the Canarian "bola"?
Yes, I was born in Lanzarote, I grew up in Lanzarote and whenever I can, I come here. I have known the "bola" game since I was born, because this is a typical game of the Island. The Canarian "bola" was born in Lanzarote, although it was different from the current one, for example, because in the old days it was played with a wooden ball.
You have also been investigating the origin of this game, what is known about it?
The testimonies we have, we have obtained them through elderly people, people who are close to ninety years old and who say that their parents and grandparents already played "bola". In some books, references to the game have also been found, but not to its development. In Tenerife, for example, a testimony dating from 1590 has been found, in the Realejo area.
Had you written anything about this sport before?
I had not written anything about the "bola", only some poetry, almost twenty years ago. In reality, there is nothing written about this game, it is the first book that comes to light. It seemed to me that it was a somewhat orphaned game, that nobody had paid much attention to it, so I decided to do it.
The book is structured in several thematic blocks, isn't it?
Yes, it is structured in five blocks. It talks a little about everything: the origin, the current regulations, since there are federations and island delegations. Also about the basic techniques of the game and the development. One of the sections is based on interviews with elderly people who have been playing all their lives, such as Juan Guerra, from Arrecife, Juan Umpiérrez, José Umpiérrez, Andrés Tejera, from San Bartolomé.... And finally, there is a Glossary of words and expressions that are used to play, which people who have never done it have to learn.
What do you think is the current situation of the Canarian "bola" in the Archipelago?
There are no national championships, much less international ones. At present we are lucky that it is already played on all the islands, there are teams and we are competing. Because before it was only played in Tenerife, in Lanzarote, and a little in Gran Canaria. Little by little it is spreading, although in Lanzarote and Tenerife it had more boom in the sixties and seventies, when everyone played. Also before there were more fans on the court. Now, although the game is still maintained in the field, the public does not go to see it.
