«A foreign woman appears in Chimisay, mute the Guanches observe her with her Child and the Candela. In the Mencey cave they guard her with prayers, then, Ella, from Achbinico gives her name to Candelaria ». Thus begins the Candelaria’s new anthempresented on Sunday at the Cine Viejo Cultural Space. It has been made by the composer Agustín Ramos, Favorite Son of the municipality, in charge of the musical section; Manolo Ramos, Adoptive Son and responsible for the lyrics; and the official chronicler, Octavio Rodríguez. The work was performed for the first time by the Las Candelas Music Band, under the direction of Mauro Fariña; the contemporary choir Tenerife, directed by Esther Wagenaar; and the baritone Fernando Campero.
The anthem is completed with these lyrics: «I sing to my Guanche land, heart of the Canary Islands, where the Patron Saint lives, the Virgin of Candelaria. You kiss the sea with its waves, La Viuda and Las Caletillas, and the Villa gives heat, the Candela that shines the most. Smell of pine in the mountains, from Barranco Hondo to Igueste, from Araya to Las Cuevecitas and the Malpaís, beautiful and wild. The fisherman’s soul swarms through the bay, the fisherwoman awaits him when she goes to break the day. The potter works with her hands from early on, to give shape to the clay under the protection of Santa Ana. I want my voice to go out in Candelaria ».
