On this particular Friday, the La Laguna City Council introduced the mobile display ‘Pilgrimage of La Laguna’, an outdoor exhibition which aims to showcase the diversity and cultural richness of the primary traditional celebrations in the villages and districts of the municipality.
“Our aim is to highlight the significance of our pilgrimages in the festive schedule of La Laguna,” expressed Festivals Councilor, Dailos González. He elaborated, “The exhibition not only reveals their shared traits but also the distinctive features that make them singular events, aligning with the essence of each location.” Councilors Badel Albelo, Carla Cabrera, and Leticia Villegas were also part of the exhibit’s inauguration.
The exhibit comprises a series of themed panels delving into general aspects of popular culture such as authentic attire (emphasising those associated with the professions and customs of the neighbourhoods in La Laguna), folklore, carriages, traditional dances, cuisine, and other ethnographic components.
Simultaneously, the exhibition delves into individual details of each of the eleven pilgrimages in the municipality including their origins, devotions, dates, itineraries, and distinctive features, offering a comprehensive and informative portrayal. There is also a segment dedicated to pilgrimage processions and the traditional ritual of the Valle Jiménez and Valle Tabares boats.
Dailos González stresses the department’s ambition for the exhibition to “travel across the various locations in the municipality leading up to the pilgrimage celebrations, fostering a celebratory ambiance that ideally amplifies public involvement.” The exhibit will remain at Cathedral Square until the following Sunday before relocating to Tejina in preparation for the El Pico pilgrimage.
In a bid to promote popular culture, the City Council is organising a traditional parade later on this Friday featuring folkloric ensembles and dances from the municipality. The procession will include performances by the El Farol, Cuevas del Lino, La Turronera and Ixemad folk bands, the Real Hespérides, Guantejina, Aguariguay, Santa Ana and Ariferint folklore groups, and the Las Mercedes and Guamasa dances along with the Minfaya folklore group.
The parade will commence at 7:30 p.m. from Plaza de La Concepción (changed from Plaza del Adelantado as per the initial plan), route leading to Plaza de la Catedral, where the evening’s schedule includes the presentation of posters and key activities of the diverse pilgrimages of La Laguna: El Pico, San Matías, Las Mercedes, Valle de Guerra, El Ortigal, Las Carboneras, Guamasa, Finca España, Los Baldíos, San Miguel de Geneto, and the Regional Pilgrimage of San Benito. The event will conclude with a performance by the troupe Pieles, showcasing their production ‘Canto al Trabajo’.
