Candelaria celebrates the Patron Saint of Canary Islands during this month of August and it was the palmero artist Luis Morera who, from the Basilica, heralded its beginning with the musical introduction of Soul Sanet and the recital by Morera and the pianist Augusto Báez with songs such as Habana, A la caldera or Salí a Busca love. The rector of the Basilica and prior of the Community of Dominican Fathers, José Ramón Enjamio López, and the mayor of Villa Mariana, Mari Brito, opened the event.
«Three years have been eternal for those of us who live the traditions, the encounters and the Canary Islands as pillars of our lives. These days are to widen her hearts, ask her and fulfill her pending promises. Also to squeeze the street, feed body and soul and take advantage of every moment, “said the councilor. “These will be the reunion parties. Candelaria awaits you again. This municipality insists that everyone return to the place where they have been happy, defying the famous event, because only here will they feel directly the emotion of a town that, years later, wants to clothe its patron saint with the restrained force of this waiting time », added Brito.
The festivities were presented this year in La Palma, where the town crier, Luis Morera, comes from, who based his inaugural speech on Canarian culture, focused on cultural DNA and the Virgin of Candelaria “as the protective mother of our land, carrying in her candle hand, touching each of our islands with its light. Chaxiraxi vindicates our past as a people.
As an artist, Morera vindicated the need to enhance rigor much more in everything related to culture, «since our land is dangerously moving away from its identity to merge into a hoarding globalization, where what is external is valued much more than what is internal, in which the policy regarding culture is generating in our land a very negative generalized detachment ». A reflection that she continued: “A people that does not have its culture as a priority is destined to disappear, losing all interest in those who love it and visit us,” Morera proclaimed. In addition, she insisted on asking “our Chaxiraxi to enlighten us with her candle and lead us to a much more promising future.”
The event was also attended by the Island Councilor for Municipal Cooperation and Housing of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Carlos Zebenzuí Chinea; Cayetano José Silva, insular director of Agriculture; the mayor of El Rosario, Escolástico Gil, and the mayor of Arafo, Juan Ramón Martín, as well as the community of Dominican Friars.
On this occasion, the City Council of Candelaria wanted to invite the artist Luis Morera to work simultaneously as a town crier and as the author of the poster for the popular festivals of the Patron Saint of the Canary Islands, which, for obvious reasons, are dedicated to the island of La Palma.
