Don Quixote of La Mancha in 97 languages is the key heritage of an initiative that emerged 30 years ago in the Spanish Language department of IES Mencey Acaymo. Opened in 2005, it boasts over 500 copies of Cervantes’ work. It is the result of the efforts and dedication of a group of teachers who saw Guillermo Millet as their first point of reference, with José Felipe García Silva consolidating their work.
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Thirty years ago, in a place in the southeast of Tenerife, far away from La Mancha, a space was created to honour a famous literary knight. At least, that was the idea. Don Quixote of La Mancha, the work published by Miguel de Cervantes in 1605, has its own museum in Güímar. It houses a spectacular collection of the legendary work translated into various languages. But how extensive was its reach? How did the initiative come about?
It was in 1994 when a teacher, Guillermo Millet, decided to kickstart this idea and start gathering copies. He reached out and received help from various institutions worldwide, embassies and, above all, specialized centres focused on the work.
Two years later, in 1996, Professor Millet and the Spanish Language department of IES Mencey Acaymo focused the Book Day exhibition on Don Quixote. “It was the most visited school activity in Spanish history. We kept receiving people,” recalls Guillermo Millet. Copies arrived from all over the world, including countries at war, the professor remembers.
Felipe García Silva is another key figure in the development of the Museum of Don Quixote in the World. In 2003, García and a group of teachers from the centre spent days focused on finding more versions to include in the exhibition held to commemorate the four-hundredth anniversary of the publication of the first part of Don Quixote of La Mancha. All of this was done with the aim of researching the global dissemination of this literary work.
Bust of Don Quixote (above) and the interior of the museum (below). | | ED / Adrián Prado Fernández
Nineteen years ago
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The Museum of Don Quixote in the World was established in 2005. It is a space located within IES Mencey Acaymo, dedicated to the picturesque character of Spanish literature. The opening brought together copies from 436 editions from 80 countries, written in 83 languages, dialects or different forms of writing. Felipe García Silva, who managed this project until his retirement, recalls that “most literary works were donated by well-known individuals, as the museum was already popular nationally.” García Silva highlights the work done to “obtain information and donations,” although among the museum’s assets are “texts that we had to purchase from bookstores or collectors.” The hard work of the curators has been a decisive factor in acquiring and maintaining some rare pieces.
In addition to the over 500 works in 97 languages currently housed in the museum, there are also paintings, engravings, photographs, and sculptures, a proposal put forward by the Güímar painter Andrés Delgado in 2014, who promoted and helped expand this museum’s heritage, which incorporated 79 art pieces donated in a room opened by the Ministry of Education in 2015.
‘Don Quixote’ by Güímar / Adrián Prado Fernández
The Museum of Don Quixote in the World is one of the attractions of Güímar. Its presence led the municipality to become the first Cervantine City in Canarias (4th March 2020) and the 20th on the list covering various continents. This is the most significant recognition by the literary and artistic community towards a unique collection worldwide. On the fourth anniversary of this declaration, Mencey Acaymo Institute and its museum join forces to offer cultural and educational activities. One of them consisted of a guided tour during an open day. Additionally, the museum’s blog provided a virtual tour, continuously evolving, incorporating the students’ voices commenting on the exhibited works, aiming to make them more accessible to all visitors.
This anniversary also brings a Travelling Suitcase provided by the Teacher Training Centre (CEP) of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It contains a graphic novel based on Don Quixote, allowing Mencey Acaymo’s students and those from other educational centres on the island to delve even deeper into Cervantes’ timeless work.
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The presence of Don Quixote in the World is not part of the municipality’s tourist promotion. It is a pending matter for the municipal Corporation. José Felipe García recalls that “there was an attempt at collaboration with the Town Hall, but an agreement was not reached.”
