Granadilla de Abona is set to initiate a ground-breaking project in the Canary Islands that will introduce traditional Guanche intelligence games into the classrooms of Preschool, Primary and Secondary students, as well as senior centres in the area, commencing next week. This follows extensive research that has successfully revived over 60 entertainment activities derived from aboriginal engravings. The Government of the Canary Islands has expressed their interest in the initiative.
Yesterday, the Defensabona and Patrimony Sur associations along with the Granadilla de Abona City Council formalised a collaboration agreement, which is backed by educational staff from schools in the southern area. The agreement aims to facilitate informative sessions and workshops for teachers, students, and senior citizens, who have been thoroughly “enthused” by the concept. The initial games to be introduced and practised during break times and lessons will include The Lady, The Chascona, and The Dog and The Goats.
Isabel Álvarez, president of the Defensabona association, informed this publication that this endeavour, which has garnered interest from many municipalities within the southern region, enables “learning from the experiences of previous generations and transmitting that knowledge” to both our present and future societies, thereby promoting social cohesion through the education of children.
Both the group she represents and South Heritage emphasise the inclusive nature of this initiative, asserting that it “facilitates the integration of diverse cultures and fosters understanding among various societies and communities,” while also recognising the elderly as “key figures in cultural transmission.” Indeed, a significant aspect of this project is the interaction and coexistence of children, young people, and adults.
Isabel Álvarez expressed her gratitude for the openness and support of the Councilor for Education, Ángela Villalba, alongside researcher José Manuel Espinel Cejas, who has dedicated over 35 years to the study, rescue, dissemination, and revitalisation of the island’s material culture and traditions.
The supporting associations regard this endeavour as a “wonderful project,” marking the beginning of an “exciting phase” that aims to enhance “heritage recovery, social inclusion, and intergenerational unity through the practice of ancestral games, which represent an intangible asset of the Canary Islands.”
