VALVERDE (EL HIERRO), 10 (EUROPA PRESS)
The Cabildo of El Hierro has expressed its dissatisfaction this Tuesday regarding the “withdrawal” of the ongoing application to declare the silbo of El Hierro as an Asset of Cultural Interest, within the category of tradition and oral expression, by the Government of the Canary Islands.
The insular Minister of Culture and Cultural Heritage, Emilio Hernández, addressed the press to denounce that this is the third instance in which this application has been denied, labelling it as “absurd” and asserting that it constitutes an attack on the Gomero whistle.
Consequently, this will be the fourth occasion that the Cabildo of El Hierro will once again advocate for this declaration by initiating an application that aims to “do justice” to one of the cultural expressions of the island of El Hierro, as well as to the efforts made by notable whistlers and the Silbo Herreño Association “to ensure it is preserved,” Hernández announced.
The Minister of Culture from El Hierro contends that the Government of the Canary Islands, in its attempts to rationalise the reasons for this closure of the application, has made it evident that it “wants to incite a conflict concerning cultural heritage, the whistled language, whose primary preservation in recent times can be found on the island of La Gomera, as acknowledged by UNESCO, yet has also persisted in the practices and traditions of the society on El Hierro, which we now strive to maintain for future generations.”
Emilio Hernández expressed regret that the Government of the Canary Islands does not acknowledge the reports from the scientific community, particularly from historians within the Canary Islands, included in the application concerning the whistled language on El Hierro, featuring insights from esteemed individuals such as Maximiano Trapero and Manuel Lorenzo Perera, but instead insists on validation from external sources, “seeking independent experts.”
“It is also unfortunate that the Government of the Canary Islands declares the application as void and attempts to suggest that we, the inhabitants of El Hierro, wish to undermine La Gomera’s UNESCO designation with arguments such as the idea that the silbo from El Hierro poses a threat to the Gomero whistle. This is akin to suggesting that two Biosphere Reserves or two Geoparks could adversely affect each other’s sustenance of these quality recognitions,” he asserted.
In his view, “it is nonsensical; if, tomorrow, recognition from UNESCO is sought for our rock engravings from El Hierro, we would not be diminishing La Palma or the Benahoarite engravings. The Benahoarite engravings are as significant as the bimbapes or bimbaches, and likewise, the Gomero whistle carries equal importance to that of El Hierro; heritage is universal and belongs to all.”
The councillor from El Hierro reiterated that they do not concur with the “excuses” presented by the Government, as although he advocates for the preservation of heritage, he refers to the catalogues of island heritage, “attempting to imply” that there exists “first-class and second-class heritage.”
“The significance of El Hierro’s heritage is on par with that of any other location. It must be contextualised within our island and its socioeconomic development,” he stated.
