Hundreds of individuals participated this Sunday in the traditional Feast of the Hearts in Tejina, a celebration where the three primary communities of the town compete to create hearts adorned with flowers and fruits that can measure roughly 12 metres in length and weigh about 100 kilos.
This festival allows the town, which is part of La Laguna, to commemorate its patron saint celebrations in honour of San Bartolomé. The event was recognised as a Site of Cultural Interest (BIC) in 2003 due to its historical significance and its contribution to the cultural heritage of the Archipelago.
Throughout the morning, locals hurried to complete the final touches on their designs, which were then lifted onto shoulders and carried to the town square, where they were arranged side by side in anticipation of the saint’s arrival.
The sounds of songs and cheers blended together until the procession of San Bartolomé enveloped the square in a profound and moving silence, paving the way for the reading of the proclamation, the penultimate step before the climactic moment of raising the hearts and positioning them on three stands directed towards the church.
In preparation, community members from each neighbourhood, donned in distinctive coloured t-shirts, focused on elevating the hearts using ropes and pulleys, a challenging task that necessitated significant coordination and effort from all participants.
Once elevated, each of the creations was decorated with an array of flags showcasing the intricate details of the designs, always featuring lemons, pears, and pineapples as the central components—fruits that signify the identity of the three Tejinero neighbourhoods.
