“You don’t need to assist me, my dear.” At the age of 97, Vidalina Cubas, a woman born in Vallehermoso (La Gomera) and currently residing in Puerto de la Cruz, possesses an unwavering vitality. Therefore, she won’t allow anyone to assist her in retrieving books from the shelves. She can manage on her own. It is no surprise that she serves as a reading monitor at the Social Attention Day Centre for Older Persons in Puerto de la Cruz. She provides reading and writing lessons to twenty women, exhibiting a fervour that has not diminished over her nearly century-long life. She utilises books from her grandchildren and arranges classes in such a manner that each student receives individual attention. Some copy a page from a book while others work with phrases authored by Vidalina. It is evident that teaching is her calling.
The Municipal Council for Women in the City of Puerto de la Cruz will pay a tribute on the 28th in the Timanfaya Hall, alongside four other women, to honour their contributions to society. The awards form part of the Portraits of Portuenses Women programme. Vidalina’s social commitment has led her to receive the award in the category of education and volunteering.
“My story is a two-kilo book,” Vidalina proclaims with a beaming smile. Born in 1927 in Vallehermoso, La Gomera, her childhood was profoundly influenced by her thirst for knowledge. At the tender age of 12, she moved to Tenerife with her godmother, who played a significant role in her life. From a young age, she exhibited a strong calling for educating both youth and adults. Being the eldest of seven siblings, she had to shoulder considerable responsibilities early on. Her mother passed away at 35 during childbirth. “I had to care for all my siblings along with my father.”
Vidalina, alongside her students. / Andrés Gutiérrez
By the age of six, she was already attending school. She proudly remembers being a “bright spark” from a young age. “I read a lesson and had it learned already.” She has always cherished reading but does not possess a favourite book, as she simply enjoys beautiful narratives.
She experienced the Spanish Civil War at the age of nine. She recalls living in fear, but never faced hunger. Her father owned a farm where he grew tomatoes, sweet potatoes, potatoes, onions, and other crops, which provided for them and simultaneously brought in an income. “On Sundays, he would send us to help him and taught us how to tend to the fields.”
This 97-year-old lady possesses remarkable vitality. / Ag
They faced many threats during those times. A neighbour associated with La Falange, a group complicit in the atrocities of Franco, sought to report her father for alleged weapons possession. “It was merely a machete used for cutting animal food,” she explains. Her godmother, a teacher who inspired her love for education, was accused of hosting pro-Republic gatherings at school, forcing her to conceal herself in Arona.
Panic Among the Francoists
She recalls that the entire island was gripped by fear of falling into the clutches of Francoists after the military uprising and ensuing dictatorship. She was aware of a neighbour from the phalanx who frequently went to the beach to sing the “face to the sun”. “Vallehermoso was a boiling pot; we were terrified,” Vidalina reminisces.
Yet she and her family refused to leave, while other families fled to the mountains “carrying food on donkeys.” They chose to remain, insisting, “If we are to die, let us do so peacefully in our home.”
In 1943, after being transported by her father, she arrived in Tenerife with her godmother. “Arona had neither light nor water, but it did have a school.” The journey was long: they took a ship from their departure point to Granadilla, and from there to Arona by camel. The entire route was on the animal’s back, and she feared it would throw her off, yet it held steady. Vidalina and her godmother began their teaching careers. They lived in the upper part of a building that housed the school below. Eventually, they felt uncomfortable and decided to move. “We were constantly surrounded by civil guards.”
Buenavista or La Orotava
Their request for a transfer led them to Buenavista del Norte or La Orotava. The latter was more appealing to them. Here, their journey in the northern part of the island commenced. The school was in a rural area and catered to approximately 60 girls. Vidalina taught the youngest ones. It was the only school in the districts of El Rincón, Barranco La Arena, and the branches. While teaching, older children between 14 and 18 would peer in through the windows to observe their activities, saying they wished to enter as they didn’t know how to read or write.
Driven by a desire to improve the situation and her social engagement, she approached the mayor to request a teacher for those young people. While awaiting a resolution, Vidalina began teaching them after 6:00 p.m., as that was when they finished work. Eventually, a professor from San Sebastián de la Gomera arrived, much to her godmother’s delight because he was “one of their own.” Nevertheless, she never ceased dedicating her time to teaching.
This Gomera has dedicated her life to teaching, her great passion, in Tenerife
In the 1950s, she had not yet been to Puerto de la Cruz, despite it being near La Orotava. The guaguas ran twice in the morning and again in the afternoon. “It was easier to walk than to catch a bus.” One day, her friends from school invited her to Puerto de la Cruz. “I wore my high heels and we headed to the Plaza del Charco, hoping to catch the eye of someone handsome,” she says with a cheeky smile.
Her students intervened, and once, she found herself enamoured with a boy at the dock. “I recall that the water came up to my waist.” However, Vidalina did not allow them to get too distracted from their studies, insisting on order and discipline.
One day, an unexpected encounter changed everything. She bumped into a “very handsome” lad on the guagua. Her friends knew him and made the introduction. Thus, she met the love of her life, who would become her husband for 60 years. José Guillermo and Vidalina created a large family, welcoming seven children. They relocated to Santa Cruz de Tenerife because he worked in the capital. After becoming a widow, Vidalina sold their home and began living with her children. “I aimed to move to a flat, but they wouldn’t allow me.”
She states she is “happier than ever” because “I get to enjoy my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.” She imparts to them that everything is achievable “through education and perseverance”, just as she did with her own offspring. Times have changed significantly. From telegrams and radio, society has evolved to social networks and artificial intelligence. “Previously, there was no time for anything. Life revolved around working or caring for the home. There was simply no time for anything else.”
A Fortuitous Encounter
Vidalina’s adventures did not cease. Fate led her to Centro de Puerto de la Cruz. She intended to stay for a week to accompany a friend, Paquita, so she would not be alone following heart surgery. In an instant, that week morphed into “five wonderful years.” “We were constantly on the move, driving around all day. We became inseparable.”
While strolling through Puerto de la Cruz, where they lived together, they discovered a woman who taught reading and writing to those who were illiterate. Her name was Rosa, or “Doña Rosa,” as Vidalina affectionately refers to her. They began attending her classes and grew close.
However, Rosa’s sight began to fail her. Unable to continue teaching, she asked Vidalina to take over her role as a reading monitor due to her extensive background in education. Although she initially declined, Rosa’s persistence eventually persuaded her. Almost without planning, after years away from a classroom, she returned to teaching at the age of 94.
The Portuense City Council acknowledges her contribution as a reading monitor in a senior centre
“Thank God,” she says, she’s still alive. She has fallen six times, yet her bones are made of steel; her passion for teaching remains unwavering; and her vitality and mental clarity are invaluable. Her hip aches slightly, but her floral cane assists her in walking without difficulty. “The only issue is that I occasionally feel a bit dizzy, though my mind is still quite sharp.” Although she lacks a formal teaching qualification, her love for education has been the guiding force in her life, providing her with emotional stability and a means to channel her spirit of solidarity.
Her eyes shine as she narrates her story, particularly when it pertains to teaching. She continues to devote her time to it, and although some aspects occasionally confuse her, her memory remains both impressive and enviable. Because Vidalina is not merely an open book; she is significantly more, a walking encyclopedia.
Other Interests
She manages well on her own, with her children lending assistance when needed, although she longs for the independence to shop alone. She also carves out time for her other interests, such as painting, writing, embroidery, and knitting… And more than 35,000 days have passed since her birth on Colombina Island. “Oh my dear, don’t worry, I can retrieve the books. As long as my body endures.” And who knows how long that will be…
