Santa Cruz de Tenerife 7 Apr. (Press Europa) –
The Cabildo de Tenerife, via the Island Company of Crafts, has initiated a campaign featuring 15 videos aimed at promoting traditional Canarian crafts, preserving them, and passing them on to younger generations.
The venture was unveiled on Monday during a press conference attended by the Minister of Employment and Education, Efraín Medina; the manager of the Island Company of Crafts, Ricardo Cólogan, and the Handicraft Technician of Tenerife, Milagros Amador.
Efraín Medina stated that the aim is “to safeguard, conserve, and relay the artisanal values that form part of the Canarian identity to younger generations.”
He believes that “we are living in a digital era, and through these videos, we wish to promote traditional activities so that young people can see, appreciate, and share them.”
Medina expressed the need to “eliminate” the notion that artisan professions are heading towards extinction.
“I refuse to accept that; on the contrary, we must value our crafts. It should be noted that the craftsmanship is produced here, in Tenerife, and these creations also deserve to be recognised beyond our island,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Ricardo Cólogan remarked that when discussing traditional crafts, “it does not imply that they are relics of the past. Innovation is equally vital, and that is precisely what is being accomplished through the island craft company—blending tradition with modernity for its preservation.”
Milagros Amador expressed her pleasure at this initiative, which allows “the opportunity to witness true masters of their crafts in action.”
In her view, “the artisans are the foundation upon which future generations should build.”
Video Dissemination
The campaign involves the distribution of videos and audiovisual materials showcasing the richness of traditional crafts.
In selecting the videos, priority has been given to those crafts practised by only one or two individuals who work sporadically or lack generational succession.
The campaign has collaborated with Petrichor Films, responsible for recording the artisans and specific techniques associated with each craft before selecting the final material, as noted by the council.
For this endeavour, they received assistance from specialised staff at the Ibero-American Handicraft Museum of Tenerife (MAIT), which is located in La Orotava.
The videos feature the work of the following artisans: Susana Alonso Pimentel; Rafia basketry; Concepción Camino, Afoled basketry; Marcelino Reyes González, Castle of Castaño; Cecilia and Carmen Alonso: Wicker basketry; José Manuel Henríquez, Jaulero; Domingo Martín, The Timple; Daniel Castro Hernández, knife; Carmen Gloria Rodríguez Rocha, Frivolité; Carmen Gloria Rodríguez Rocha, embroidery and marked; Agustina Jiménez, Sombreda; Damián Medina, tanner; Damián Medina, Zurronero; Manuela Guerra, Polainas; Antonio Rodríguez Ruiz, Lace of Vilaflor; and Antonio Rodríguez Ruiz, Hilandero.
