The stately Villa de Teguise once again beat to the rhythm of its roots last Saturday, when it hosted the II Canarian Stick Fighting Conference, a gathering where tradition, brotherhood, and respect intertwined – like the sticks themselves in the air – to pay homage to one of the deepest legacies of the Canarian soul.
From the early hours of the morning, the doors of the Timple House-Museum opened to welcome those who feel curiosity, passion, or respect for this ancestral art. There, various talks offered a journey through the modalities of the "juego del palo" (stick fighting) in the archipelago, its history, its technique, and its philosophy, demonstrating that beyond the physical gesture, the Canary Islands stick fighting embodies a way of understanding life: balance, nobility, and respect for others.
Later in the afternoon, the heart of Teguise's Historic Quarter, the emblematic Plaza de Los Leones, transformed into a vibrant stage. Under a serene sky, the staffs began to draw figures in the air. Masters and practitioners from all the islands - Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro - shared their art, showcasing the diversity of styles that, like the islands themselves, form a common identity. Each exhibition was a wordless dialogue, an exchange of respect where tradition was breathed in every movement
Because the Palo Game is not just practiced...it is lived
The grand finale arrived with a show that will remain etched in collective memory: the popular music group Teguey, from San Bartolomé and musically directed by Professor Leo García Corujo under the presidency of José Cruz Hernández, united music and tradition in a unique fusion. While the masters of the stick marked their opponents without physical contact – demonstrating agility, defense, and counter-attack – Teguey set the rhythm with isas, folías, and malagueñas, creating a dance between the stick and the sound, between history and the present.
The excited audience witnessed how the traditional Canary Islands stick dance and music merged into a single heartbeat, in the same place where centuries ago the steps of history echoed; the Plaza de Los Leones in Teguise.
Municipal authorities, the councilor for Culture and Festivals, Andoni Machín, and the councilor for Social Welfare, Ana Nereida González, congratulated the cultural groups and teachers for their work in keeping alive the traditions that define our identity.
And so, amidst applause, melodies, and the gentle breeze of the Noble town, a day concluded where the Canary Islands remembered that their traditions do not age, but rather are reborn each time they are shared