The tragedies are an inseparable aspect of all communities, regardless of size, and profoundly influence collective sentiment. One such incident, forgotten over time, but which startled the Canarian society, was the TenerifeHurra Port and the Lorquian blood weddings.
The year was 1904, in the vicinity of Cruz Grande, atop the Pulpite mountain, facing what is now known as the Airport of The Rodeos.
A wedding, which should have been a joyful occasion, culminated in a massacre where four men tragically lost their lives in a violent confrontation sparked by a tradition referred to as the Cry.
Cry
The Canceradas, or cries, often accompanied by the clanging of a bowl, were customary practices in the Canary Islands. These involved ascending the mountains at night to attract the attention of neighbours, often through loud noises, songs, and insulting remarks.
The crying aimed to humiliate and provoke, and in this instance, it became the catalyst for an irrevocable tragedy.
The Events
María del Carmen Hernández and José Lugo were united in marriage at the parish of the Conception of the lagoon. The ceremony was modest, as recounted by Leoncio Rodríguez, the founder of the newspaper La Prensa-El Día.
That evening, bonfires blazing atop the mountain captured the attention of the nearby residents, paired with the sound of a buciation and the clatter of pots. A cry had been orchestrated to belittle the newlyweds.
From her home, Gregoria, the sister of the bride, witnessed the flames and heard the insults. María’s father, Antonio, could not withstand the disgrace and, along with his children and the groom, took action. What began as an act of provocation swiftly escalated into a mortal confrontation.
After the cowbell, the group descended to consume drinks at the house of Felipe Martín, known as “the cat,” while the assailants endeavoured to identify those responsible, going door to door and checking who was absent from their homes.
Four Lives Lost
Suspecting the Martín brothers, they proceeded to the Pajares, where the brothers typically slept, alarming the animals and drawing Felipe’s attention.
Using a stick borrowed from a neighbour, Felipe confronted the group, and noticing the escalating situation, his daughter alerted other family members. During the altercation, Nicolás, one of Felipe’s sons, sustained injuries and died shortly after disclosing the names of the attackers.
Gonzalo Martín, another of Felipe’s sons, along with a family friend, Cristóbal Rodríguez, also lost their lives, while their mother and sister Jacinta sustained minor injuries.
As is often the case, this violent episode stemmed from disputes induced by the weeping tradition, this time motivated by insults towards the bride and prior conflicts between the families involved.
Reactions
The tragedy drew widespread coverage from national media, including ABC newspaper, which reported: “Tragic wedding: four dead in Tenerife.” The news created a significant stir throughout the nation.
The corpses were transported in a cart to San Juan cemetery for autopsies, while neighbours, incredulous, watched from their residences.
The police investigation led to the detainment of six individuals, yet a year later, during the trial at the Las Palmas Audience, only the bride’s father was found guilty. He assumed full responsibility for the deaths, although the precise reasons for the occurrence remained somewhat unclear.
Despite the crime having caused immense shock across the island, the tradition of the Canceradas has persisted and continued to be practised in subsequent years, despite its tragic outcome in this instance.
