1 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:36,723 In the depths of these forests you can still hear, accompanied by drums, 2 00:02:36,723 --> 00:02:38,775 ballads from the medieval era. 3 00:02:39,309 --> 00:02:43,646 Testimonies of battles, feats, and tragic loves, 4 00:02:43,646 --> 00:02:47,917 the ballads remain alive in this remote corner of the Atlantic. 5 00:03:03,816 --> 00:03:11,191 - To your poor wife, her time is aproaching. 6 00:03:12,508 --> 00:03:15,511 - And there she was leaving already... 7 00:03:16,863 --> 00:03:19,866 Here, the Romancero persists to be sung, 8 00:03:20,466 --> 00:03:23,469 being considered a living genre. 9 00:03:26,256 --> 00:03:30,643 These people are the custodians of an ancestral legacy 10 00:03:30,643 --> 00:03:35,265 which they preserved through the oral tradition of their folklore. 11 00:03:38,902 --> 00:03:46,125 - From noble Salamanca, which is my homeland and my land. 12 00:03:47,427 --> 00:03:54,834 - So very noble is Father, my proper name is Teresa. 13 00:03:55,702 --> 00:03:59,872 Menéndez Pelayo announced it at the end of the 19th century. 14 00:04:01,624 --> 00:04:04,928 "I have already indicated the suspicion that in the Canary Islands 15 00:04:04,928 --> 00:04:09,032 there may exist ballads brought there in the 15th century 16 00:04:09,032 --> 00:04:12,285 by Castilian and Andalusian conquerors. 17 00:04:12,986 --> 00:04:16,472 If they were found, it would be a good discovery, 18 00:04:16,472 --> 00:04:20,727 because in similar cases it is observed that the insular versions 19 00:04:20,727 --> 00:04:24,230 are more archaic and pure than those of the Continent." 20 00:04:24,948 --> 00:04:34,240 - I have already read that in Turkey, in another time past, 21 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:43,299 - Admiral Pasha, Lord of all his kingdom... 22 00:04:52,592 --> 00:04:58,865 Their voices break the silence of the forest and transport us through history. 23 00:05:08,074 --> 00:05:12,028 The aborigines sang laments, which were songs of sorrow. 24 00:05:12,028 --> 00:05:15,631 And today, when we listen to a balladeer singing, 25 00:05:15,631 --> 00:05:19,018 it's somewhat similar, it's a melancholic song. 26 00:05:19,018 --> 00:05:24,273 So perhaps, in their day, those laments sung by those aborigines, 27 00:05:24,273 --> 00:05:26,576 over time and with the arrival of the Castilians, 28 00:05:26,576 --> 00:05:32,165 transformed into what today are the traditional ballads from the peninsula 29 00:05:32,165 --> 00:05:34,017 that have been inherited and have reached our days. 30 00:05:34,017 --> 00:05:40,340 it's already been over 500 years passing down the oral tradition. 31 00:06:21,364 --> 00:06:28,471 - Set, Sun, for I am already delighted by the lovely course you take. 32 00:06:31,224 --> 00:06:38,531 - Set, Sun, for I am already delighted by the lovely course you take. 33 00:06:42,201 --> 00:06:49,175 - Set, Sun, for I am already delighted by the lovely course you take. 34 00:06:51,928 --> 00:06:59,035 - Set, Sun, for I am already delighted by the lovely course you take. 35 00:07:02,505 --> 00:07:09,495 - Set, Sun, for I am already delighted by the lovely course you take. 36 00:07:12,181 --> 00:07:19,272 - Set, Sun, for I am already delighted by the lovely course you take. 37 00:07:22,892 --> 00:07:30,833 - Set, Sun, for I am already delighted by the lovely course you take. 38 00:07:31,918 --> 00:07:32,702 - Good. 39 00:07:35,822 --> 00:07:37,273 - Yes sir. 40 00:07:58,778 --> 00:08:01,797 Amid the dense fog of ocean winds 41 00:08:01,797 --> 00:08:05,718 the round silhouette of a volcanic island is revealed, 42 00:08:05,718 --> 00:08:08,905 the second smallest of the Canary archipelago, 43 00:08:08,905 --> 00:08:13,860 with an area of barely 369 square kilometers, 44 00:08:13,860 --> 00:08:16,863 forged by millions of years of erosion. 45 00:08:25,288 --> 00:08:31,827 Rugged coasts, majestic cliffs, and imposing mountain formations 46 00:08:31,827 --> 00:08:35,731 that stand out amid the vastness of the ocean. 47 00:08:49,712 --> 00:08:54,667 The geological and biological diversity of this island is countless, 48 00:08:54,667 --> 00:09:00,339 offering an environment where nature reveals itself in its most primal form. 49 00:09:08,915 --> 00:09:13,135 A central plateau that reaches almost a thousand meters high 50 00:09:13,135 --> 00:09:17,056 and hosts one of the last vestiges of a forest 51 00:09:17,056 --> 00:09:21,360 that once covered a large part of Europe in the Tertiary period. 52 00:09:25,982 --> 00:09:29,101 Gorges of astonishing depths, 53 00:09:29,101 --> 00:09:33,990 as well as rock formations of almost impossible appearance 54 00:09:33,990 --> 00:09:39,111 and monumental rocks that add a majestic touch to the landscape. 55 00:09:45,451 --> 00:09:50,089 In this environment, conditioned by the terrain and natural phenomena, 56 00:09:50,089 --> 00:09:54,193 survives a population that has adapted like few others 57 00:09:54,193 --> 00:09:57,913 to the difficulties created by nature. 58 00:10:05,071 --> 00:10:12,144 Geographical isolation led its inhabitants to develop new ways of adapting to the environment, 59 00:10:12,144 --> 00:10:15,815 exploiting resources sustainably, 60 00:10:15,815 --> 00:10:19,502 preserving traditions already disappeared from Europe, 61 00:10:19,502 --> 00:10:26,325 and even creating a language that still today echoes on the slopes of their ravines. 62 00:11:29,605 --> 00:11:36,195 - Mary, come to Cepo to get the clay! 63 00:11:42,601 --> 00:11:49,008 - Mary, come to Cepo to get the clay! 64 00:11:52,795 --> 00:11:59,535 - Mary, come to Cepo to get the clay! 65 00:12:23,342 --> 00:12:24,527 - We finally found clay. 66 00:12:24,527 --> 00:12:27,980 - Yes, and very good clay, not many stones. 67 00:12:28,514 --> 00:12:29,849 - Now to dry it. 68 00:12:40,075 --> 00:12:44,346 The process of making pottery here in La Gomera, in El Cercado. 69 00:12:44,346 --> 00:12:46,599 First, you have to go get the clay, 70 00:12:46,599 --> 00:12:51,487 you have to find it, bring it, put it in the sun because it's very damp, 71 00:12:51,487 --> 00:12:55,841 you have to crush it, clean it because it has stones, roots. 72 00:12:57,359 --> 00:13:02,097 Once it's clean, we go to another village to get sand 73 00:13:02,097 --> 00:13:03,983 to mix with the clay. 74 00:13:03,983 --> 00:13:06,185 It's what we call kneading the clay. 75 00:13:06,185 --> 00:13:10,806 We're kneading the clay, because we're mixing the clay 76 00:13:10,806 --> 00:13:15,961 with the sand we've already crushed and milled, 77 00:13:15,961 --> 00:13:19,715 so that the clay has consistency and just the right amount of sand. 78 00:13:20,349 --> 00:13:24,570 Because if it lacks sand, or if it has too much, 79 00:13:24,570 --> 00:13:28,407 when the piece goes into the oven, it would break. 80 00:13:38,100 --> 00:13:40,069 We add a little water. 81 00:13:40,803 --> 00:13:45,007 Once we have the clay kneaded, we start making the piece. 82 00:13:45,007 --> 00:13:48,244 The process is day by day. 83 00:13:51,780 --> 00:13:55,868 Pottery or the art of making ceramics on the island of La Gomera 84 00:13:55,868 --> 00:13:59,889 is a primitive technique already practiced by the aborigines 85 00:13:59,889 --> 00:14:03,175 before the arrival of the Castilian conquerors 86 00:14:03,175 --> 00:14:09,031 and presents certain similarities with North African ceramics. 87 00:14:15,387 --> 00:14:17,256 Then, as it dries, 88 00:14:17,256 --> 00:14:20,860 one day you pass the stone, then we scrape it, 89 00:14:20,860 --> 00:14:22,945 which is to remove the thickness, 90 00:14:22,945 --> 00:14:27,516 the piece gets harder, so we can pick it up and work on it. 91 00:14:27,933 --> 00:14:30,302 The next day we smooth it. 92 00:14:30,302 --> 00:14:33,422 The following day, with another stone, we water-polish it, 93 00:14:33,422 --> 00:14:37,993 what we call water polishing to cover all the little sand holes. 94 00:14:37,993 --> 00:14:40,112 We let it rest for a day or two 95 00:14:40,112 --> 00:14:42,264 and then we apply the "almagre." 96 00:14:42,264 --> 00:14:43,115 What is almagre? 97 00:14:43,115 --> 00:14:45,935 Almagre is a reddish dirt, 98 00:14:45,935 --> 00:14:51,657 which also needs to be found, cleaned, ground into a powder, 99 00:14:51,657 --> 00:14:56,528 we mix it with water and make a kind of dye. 100 00:14:59,915 --> 00:15:07,790 A traditional craft carried out exclusively by women and passed from mothers to daughters. 101 00:15:11,543 --> 00:15:14,813 A hard profession that never had social prestige 102 00:15:14,813 --> 00:15:21,120 despite being fundamental for creating all kinds of everyday utensils. 103 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:30,579 Everything, absolutely everything is ancient. 104 00:15:31,747 --> 00:15:33,966 It’s still done exactly the same way. 105 00:15:33,966 --> 00:15:38,404 There are no machines, only stones and hands. 106 00:15:45,961 --> 00:15:47,346 And when it's dry, 107 00:15:47,346 --> 00:15:49,415 only then we put it in the oven. 108 00:16:00,993 --> 00:16:07,516 All the ovens have a cross at the entrance of each door. 109 00:16:09,151 --> 00:16:15,140 The function of ceramic firing is to eliminate all the chemical water in the clay. 110 00:16:15,140 --> 00:16:18,427 That dehydration produced by high temperature, 111 00:16:18,427 --> 00:16:21,947 is what turns that clay back into rock. 112 00:16:22,247 --> 00:16:26,468 And that's the function of ceramic firing, whether for a tile or a pot. 113 00:16:33,876 --> 00:16:38,347 In the quiet neighborhood of El Cercado, in the historic town of Chipude, 114 00:16:38,347 --> 00:16:42,451 we can find numerous ovens that in past times 115 00:16:42,451 --> 00:16:47,639 were fundamental for the manufacturing of the tiles that covered the houses, 116 00:16:47,639 --> 00:16:53,395 called "Tejas Musleras" because they were molded with the shape of a man's thigh. 117 00:16:56,181 --> 00:17:00,519 A process that involved both men and women. 118 00:17:00,519 --> 00:17:05,824 Unfortunately, this tradition was lost in the 1960s. 119 00:17:06,508 --> 00:17:12,064 Thanks to the hard work of a passionate ceramics teacher like Diego Higueras, 120 00:17:12,064 --> 00:17:17,152 an ancient oven over 500 years old has been rescued. 121 00:17:17,886 --> 00:17:22,408 The very orientation of the oven is fundamental to understand this technology, 122 00:17:22,408 --> 00:17:26,979 the mouth of the hearth receiving the airflow that feeds the fire 123 00:17:26,979 --> 00:17:29,548 and helps combustion to be much faster. 124 00:17:32,701 --> 00:17:36,004 It's the technological basis of ceramic production, 125 00:17:36,004 --> 00:17:39,091 in this case industrial ceramics because they are tiles, 126 00:17:39,091 --> 00:17:41,844 for architectural use in houses, 127 00:17:41,844 --> 00:17:47,366 but basically the historical ceramic firings are reproduced. 128 00:17:49,885 --> 00:17:53,238 It's perfectly associated with the first colonial house, 129 00:17:53,238 --> 00:17:57,993 where tiles were produced industrially with the technology of the time, late 14th century, 130 00:17:57,993 --> 00:18:01,730 early 15th, a Moorish oven, an Arab oven. 131 00:18:02,364 --> 00:18:03,332 What's the function? 132 00:18:03,332 --> 00:18:07,319 To produce the tiles for the first colonial houses. 133 00:18:09,455 --> 00:18:11,223 Here you can see in this texture, 134 00:18:11,223 --> 00:18:15,961 and in the black color, that the clay has already begun to liquefy, 135 00:18:15,961 --> 00:18:16,962 so it's well understood. 136 00:18:17,329 --> 00:18:21,366 Becoming liquid, melting and making a small flow 137 00:18:21,366 --> 00:18:24,636 because it melts at temperatures over a thousand degrees, 138 00:18:24,636 --> 00:18:28,674 and it seems we have in our hand a piece of volcanic lava or scoria. 139 00:18:29,224 --> 00:18:31,593 Here’s a fragment where it's even more evident. 140 00:18:33,395 --> 00:18:37,649 All this we're seeing here are pieces of tiles 141 00:18:37,649 --> 00:18:44,406 that were together and fused, melted, and turned into scoria, volcanic lava. 142 00:19:09,431 --> 00:19:15,070 - Climb up to the highest rock 143 00:19:15,070 --> 00:19:23,345 - and whistle with all your might 144 00:19:23,345 --> 00:19:30,552 - to see if the wind remembers... 145 00:19:50,856 --> 00:19:53,141 Garajonay 146 00:19:53,141 --> 00:19:56,395 represents for the island of La Gomera the green part. 147 00:19:56,395 --> 00:20:01,083 It is the green hat that covers an island that is generally arid. 148 00:20:01,083 --> 00:20:05,971 This brings a unique biodiversity, on one hand, 149 00:20:05,971 --> 00:20:07,756 the contribution of the laurel forest. 150 00:20:07,756 --> 00:20:12,878 And on the other, it primarily represents water, the island's spring of life. 151 00:20:12,878 --> 00:20:16,832 On an arid island, this is fundamental for people's lives. 152 00:20:16,832 --> 00:20:23,939 Water means life, it means supplying populations, water for irrigation, 153 00:20:23,939 --> 00:20:26,975 and all that is provided by La Gomera's forest. 154 00:21:19,861 --> 00:21:22,864 On the other hand, on a global scale, 155 00:21:22,864 --> 00:21:28,503 Garajonay represents the last well-preserved vestiges 156 00:21:28,503 --> 00:21:32,641 of a forest that existed in the Tertiary period, 157 00:21:32,641 --> 00:21:37,829 in much of Europe and North Africa, 158 00:21:37,829 --> 00:21:41,483 which disappeared from there and was relegated to the islands. 159 00:21:41,483 --> 00:21:44,519 And this manifestation of Garajonay 160 00:21:44,519 --> 00:21:46,888 is the best-preserved manifestation of this ecosystem. 161 00:23:17,262 --> 00:23:19,197 - Ahh… 162 00:23:19,197 --> 00:23:21,683 - Diego... 163 00:23:21,683 --> 00:23:24,086 - Wake up! 164 00:23:24,086 --> 00:23:27,973 - We're going to Puntallana... 165 00:23:35,947 --> 00:23:39,785 In the 16th century, a ship en route to America 166 00:23:39,785 --> 00:23:43,388 is drawn by some lights shining in a cave in La Gomera. 167 00:23:44,439 --> 00:23:50,312 The sailors discover a small statue of the Virgin Mary with baby Jesus in her arms. 168 00:23:50,612 --> 00:23:52,681 - Long live... 169 00:23:52,681 --> 00:23:57,452 - ...the Virgin of Guadalupe! 170 00:23:58,737 --> 00:24:01,189 The image is taken to the ship, 171 00:24:01,189 --> 00:24:05,494 but strong winds and seagull attacks that seemed to protect the Virgin 172 00:24:05,494 --> 00:24:11,516 make them return her to the cave, and a hermitage is built in Puntallana in her honor. 173 00:24:14,386 --> 00:24:19,508 In 1872, a crisis of faith occurs amongst the Gomeran people 174 00:24:19,508 --> 00:24:24,246 and the Virgin of Puntallana is moved to the capital, San Sebastián. 175 00:24:25,413 --> 00:24:28,834 In 1968, it was decided that the Virgin would tour the island every five years, 176 00:24:28,834 --> 00:24:32,003 In 1968, it was decided that the Virgin would tour the island every five years, - The Virgin of Guadalupe is about to board! 177 00:24:32,003 --> 00:24:35,106 creating a great pilgrimage of the faithful, - The Virgin of Guadalupe is about to board! 178 00:24:35,106 --> 00:24:36,258 who come from different parts of the Canary Islands - The Virgin of Guadalupe is about to board! 179 00:24:36,258 --> 00:24:37,692 who come from different parts of the Canary Islands 180 00:24:37,692 --> 00:24:40,178 to show devotion to their patroness. - The Virgin of Guadalupe is already arriving! 181 00:24:40,178 --> 00:24:45,567 - The Virgin of Guadalupe is already arriving! 182 00:24:46,251 --> 00:24:48,153 Yes, yes, yes! The Virgin’s already here. 183 00:24:48,587 --> 00:24:51,323 Yes, yes, yes! The Virgin’s already here. 184 00:24:51,540 --> 00:24:54,359 Yes, yes, yes! The Virgin’s already here. 185 00:24:54,826 --> 00:24:57,562 Yes, yes, yes! The Virgin’s already here. 186 00:24:57,846 --> 00:25:08,256 - The Virgin of Guadalupe is already here! 187 00:25:09,057 --> 00:25:11,793 Yes, yes, yes! The Virgin’s already here. 188 00:25:12,244 --> 00:25:14,980 Yes, yes, yes! The Virgin’s already here. 189 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,216 Yes, yes, yes! The Virgin’s already here. 190 00:26:39,731 --> 00:26:44,352 - Long live the Virgin of Guadalupe! 191 00:26:45,036 --> 00:26:49,891 Although the festivals of the Virgin of Guadalupe are those that arouse the most devotion, 192 00:26:49,891 --> 00:26:55,480 there are numerous pilgrimage fesivals in honor of saints and virgins venerated in La Gomera. 193 00:26:55,947 --> 00:27:01,620 These religious celebrations also integrate numerous popular traditions: 194 00:27:01,620 --> 00:27:11,079 pilgrimages, ceremonies, traditional dances accompanied by drums and chácaras, popular songs and ballads; 195 00:27:11,079 --> 00:27:14,816 that generate exciting moments of fervor and devotion, 196 00:27:14,816 --> 00:27:19,971 where Gomerans share moments of joy and fun. 197 00:27:32,484 --> 00:27:34,102 Hurray! 198 00:27:34,486 --> 00:27:36,304 Hurray! 199 00:28:29,758 --> 00:28:34,162 - Alcibiades is going to make... 200 00:28:34,162 --> 00:28:37,499 - ...the bread today! 201 00:28:37,916 --> 00:28:42,070 We're going to cut the parts of what they call "pencos," "palmones," 202 00:28:42,070 --> 00:28:44,155 the tenderest part of the palm tree. 203 00:28:44,639 --> 00:28:47,459 To adorn and decorate the fountain. 204 00:28:51,629 --> 00:28:53,064 We're off to the fountain. 205 00:28:53,064 --> 00:28:54,115 This is a tribute, 206 00:28:54,115 --> 00:28:58,420 a thank you to Saint John, that at this time of the year there's still water in the fountain. 207 00:28:58,420 --> 00:29:02,040 If one had to build a house 100 years ago, 208 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:05,844 the premise was to find a place where there was water nearby, because if not... 209 00:29:05,844 --> 00:29:09,180 I'm sure Grandfather built the house because he had the fountain next door. 210 00:29:10,298 --> 00:29:13,468 On Saint John's Eve, the fountain was decorated. 211 00:29:13,918 --> 00:29:15,220 All of the fountains. 212 00:29:15,804 --> 00:29:18,957 On Saint John's Day, before the sun rose, 213 00:29:18,957 --> 00:29:22,710 we had to go to the fountain to get water because it was holy water, 214 00:29:22,710 --> 00:29:26,614 and with that water they made bread, believing that the water 215 00:29:26,614 --> 00:29:29,184 collected from the fountain, being holy, 216 00:29:29,184 --> 00:29:30,318 would make a better bread. 217 00:30:17,131 --> 00:30:21,536 - Alcibiades is going to make... 218 00:30:21,536 --> 00:30:24,873 - ...the bread today! 219 00:30:25,890 --> 00:30:27,959 We're going to make homemade bread 220 00:30:27,959 --> 00:30:31,179 that was made almost exclusively on Saint John's Day. 221 00:30:31,179 --> 00:30:33,147 Why was it made so few times a year? 222 00:30:33,147 --> 00:30:35,400 Because there was no raw material. 223 00:30:45,627 --> 00:30:47,896 You don't count the bread, in case you're counting it. 224 00:30:47,896 --> 00:30:49,197 I don't know why. 225 00:30:49,197 --> 00:30:52,200 No one has ever explained the reason to me, but... 226 00:30:54,302 --> 00:30:55,119 You don’t count it. 227 00:30:55,503 --> 00:30:57,889 You make the cross sign and say: 228 00:30:57,889 --> 00:31:01,326 “May God increase bread in your oven, just as God's grace spreads throughout the world.” 229 00:31:03,211 --> 00:31:04,112 Let's see how the bread is. 230 00:32:03,454 --> 00:32:06,658 The need to remodel a landscape marked 231 00:32:06,658 --> 00:32:10,895 by the verticality of the ravines led the ancient Gomerans 232 00:32:10,895 --> 00:32:16,234 to create large terraces delimited with dry stone walls. 233 00:32:16,234 --> 00:32:23,308 With the aim of making the most of the land, mainly for subsistence agriculture. 234 00:32:35,136 --> 00:32:38,790 The first stone walls date from the 16th century 235 00:32:38,790 --> 00:32:42,243 and although today most are unused, 236 00:32:42,243 --> 00:32:46,981 these impressive constructions, which have survived the passage of time, 237 00:32:46,981 --> 00:32:50,652 are now part of the island's cultural landscape. 238 00:32:51,336 --> 00:32:56,224 - The land, the stone, we made a piece... 239 00:33:10,538 --> 00:33:15,226 The Master Stonemason observes every detail carefully, 240 00:33:15,226 --> 00:33:21,182 seeking the most efficient and respectful way to exploit natural resources. 241 00:33:21,182 --> 00:33:24,268 The stones are carefully selected 242 00:33:24,268 --> 00:33:28,623 and the technique of stacking them without any binding material 243 00:33:28,623 --> 00:33:32,794 is an art that requires precision and skill, 244 00:33:32,794 --> 00:33:36,247 aiming to achieve wall stability, 245 00:33:36,247 --> 00:33:39,701 creating resistant and durable structures. 246 00:35:03,935 --> 00:35:05,369 Thanks to the Stonemasons, 247 00:35:05,369 --> 00:35:08,456 the island became a more fertile place, 248 00:35:08,456 --> 00:35:12,009 where nature and architecture merged. 249 00:35:18,866 --> 00:35:20,852 These artisans of the environment 250 00:35:20,852 --> 00:35:25,006 continue to be a reference in the construction of arable land. 251 00:35:25,556 --> 00:35:30,194 A popular wisdom that has made this craft be named 252 00:35:30,194 --> 00:35:33,631 Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. 253 00:36:20,344 --> 00:36:25,583 - Ahhh… 254 00:36:26,868 --> 00:36:30,738 - Has passed away... 255 00:36:30,738 --> 00:36:36,360 - Natividad Parra de La Hoz. 256 00:36:37,178 --> 00:36:40,965 - And the funeral mass... 257 00:36:40,965 --> 00:36:43,968 - will be tomorrow... 258 00:36:43,968 --> 00:36:48,639 - at twelve noon... 259 00:36:48,639 --> 00:36:55,580 - in the Cathedral of La Laguna... 260 00:37:02,587 --> 00:37:03,821 The last thing was: 261 00:37:03,821 --> 00:37:08,226 "Let the word spread." 262 00:37:08,226 --> 00:37:09,961 And someone who heard it would say: 263 00:37:09,961 --> 00:37:12,713 "Well, well..." 264 00:37:12,713 --> 00:37:15,716 They would turn to another ravine, to another side, and say: 265 00:37:15,716 --> 00:37:18,069 "Has passed away..." 266 00:37:18,069 --> 00:37:21,422 And that's how the whole region, all the people, found out. 267 00:37:25,643 --> 00:37:30,698 - Ahhh… 268 00:37:32,166 --> 00:37:36,037 - Has passed away... 269 00:37:36,037 --> 00:37:41,659 - ...Natividad Parra de La Hoz. 270 00:37:42,610 --> 00:37:45,029 - And the funeral mass... 271 00:37:45,863 --> 00:37:49,267 - will be tomorrow... 272 00:37:49,267 --> 00:37:52,820 - at twelve noon... 273 00:37:53,938 --> 00:37:59,160 - in the Cathedral of La Laguna... 274 00:38:01,212 --> 00:38:06,550 - Let the word spread! 275 00:38:11,372 --> 00:38:17,545 - Kiko Correa is here with me! 276 00:38:18,396 --> 00:38:24,085 - Kiko Correa is here with me! 277 00:38:24,819 --> 00:38:27,872 - Ahh Josué... 278 00:38:27,872 --> 00:38:32,843 - put the "guarapo" on the fire... 279 00:38:34,395 --> 00:38:37,848 - I already told you I did. 280 00:38:39,066 --> 00:38:41,736 The chronicles say that the whistled language 281 00:38:41,736 --> 00:38:45,489 was a common practice among the aborigines of La Gomera, 282 00:38:45,489 --> 00:38:50,678 with which they communicated to overcome the difficulties of the island's orography. 283 00:38:56,000 --> 00:38:58,686 - Well, well... 284 00:39:01,405 --> 00:39:04,975 The primitive Gomerans whistled in Guanche language 285 00:39:04,975 --> 00:39:11,732 and the current ones in Spanish, therefore, over the centuries, only the language changed, 286 00:39:11,732 --> 00:39:14,068 but not the whistling system, 287 00:39:14,068 --> 00:39:19,240 which has been transmitted from generation to generation to this day. 288 00:39:20,391 --> 00:39:24,762 - La Gomera is whistle... 289 00:39:25,363 --> 00:39:29,433 - The Whistle is from La Gomera. 290 00:39:29,884 --> 00:39:34,188 This form of communication allowed the transmission of news 291 00:39:34,188 --> 00:39:38,909 that traveled the island from ravine to ravine in less than an hour, 292 00:39:38,909 --> 00:39:44,615 facilitating the connection and exchange of information among its inhabitants. 293 00:39:44,615 --> 00:39:48,536 Although conversations lacked privacy, 294 00:39:48,536 --> 00:39:55,042 the Silbo Gomero became an everyday and essential tool in fieldwork, 295 00:39:55,042 --> 00:40:01,165 also being used in crucial situations of danger or persecution. 296 00:40:01,415 --> 00:40:04,769 - Well, well... 297 00:40:05,603 --> 00:40:09,757 - I'm going to Puntallana! 298 00:40:09,757 --> 00:40:13,978 - Here we speak by whistling... 299 00:40:15,479 --> 00:40:17,548 - A whistle... 300 00:40:18,215 --> 00:40:21,335 - to the world... 301 00:40:24,355 --> 00:40:26,690 - Son... 302 00:40:27,158 --> 00:40:31,745 - Ahhh Isidro... 303 00:40:31,745 --> 00:40:36,450 - are you in Guará? 304 00:40:36,951 --> 00:40:38,602 - Son... 305 00:40:38,602 --> 00:40:42,940 - bring me the hoe... 306 00:40:43,507 --> 00:40:45,559 - Son... 307 00:40:45,559 --> 00:40:47,912 - bring me the hoe... 308 00:40:51,265 --> 00:40:53,851 When Grandpa - Son... 309 00:40:53,851 --> 00:40:54,401 went with the animals over there, on that mountain in front, 310 00:40:54,401 --> 00:40:56,053 went with the animals over there, on that mountain in front, - Son... 311 00:40:56,053 --> 00:40:56,787 went with the animals over there, on that mountain in front, - bring me an avocado... 312 00:40:56,787 --> 00:40:59,790 or down there, near the ravine. - bring me an avocado... 313 00:40:59,790 --> 00:41:02,726 Whenever he needed anything, 314 00:41:02,726 --> 00:41:03,928 he might have gone down 315 00:41:03,928 --> 00:41:08,766 with the animals and didn't take his breakfast, 316 00:41:08,766 --> 00:41:11,986 didn't take the axe or something else, 317 00:41:11,986 --> 00:41:14,054 so he whistled to Grandma here. 318 00:41:14,305 --> 00:41:15,523 Imagine the distance, - Son... 319 00:41:15,523 --> 00:41:16,257 at least a kilometer, two kilometers. - Son... 320 00:41:16,257 --> 00:41:17,558 at least a kilometer, two kilometers. - bring me an avocado... 321 00:41:17,558 --> 00:41:18,776 He whistled to Grandma, - bring me an avocado... 322 00:41:18,776 --> 00:41:19,994 so she would immediately send us - bring me an avocado... 323 00:41:19,994 --> 00:41:21,445 so she would immediately send us 324 00:41:21,445 --> 00:41:22,763 running down to take it to him. 325 00:41:23,898 --> 00:41:24,865 I'm going to whistle: 326 00:41:24,865 --> 00:41:27,318 "Look how beautiful is the island of El Hierro." 327 00:41:27,651 --> 00:41:31,856 - Ahhh Manuel... 328 00:41:32,706 --> 00:41:36,210 - Ahhh Venusica... 329 00:41:37,127 --> 00:41:39,980 - Ahhh Sergio... 330 00:41:40,614 --> 00:41:48,239 - Look how beautiful is the island of El Hierro… 331 00:41:49,907 --> 00:41:52,776 - Well, well... 332 00:42:12,663 --> 00:42:16,617 A famous passage from the chroniclers of the conquest read: 333 00:42:20,187 --> 00:42:25,593 "They speak the strangest language of all the other countries on this side, 334 00:42:25,593 --> 00:42:29,296 and they speak with their cheeks, as if they had no tongue." 335 00:42:29,296 --> 00:42:33,634 - You are in Guará. 336 00:42:37,238 --> 00:42:41,258 Nowadays, the whistle is one of the greatest representatives 337 00:42:41,258 --> 00:42:45,279 of La Gomera's culture and has been recognized by UNESCO 338 00:42:45,279 --> 00:42:49,750 as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. 339 00:42:51,986 --> 00:42:54,939 - Well, well... 340 00:42:59,009 --> 00:43:02,513 - Silbo Gomero... 341 00:43:02,513 --> 00:43:06,717 - World Heritage. 342 00:43:57,134 --> 00:43:59,770 - Ahhh Josué... 343 00:44:00,754 --> 00:44:05,326 - come down to collect guarapo now... 344 00:44:08,545 --> 00:44:11,782 - Cousin, good morning! 345 00:44:39,209 --> 00:44:42,613 The process of extracting the sap from the Canary palm, 346 00:44:42,613 --> 00:44:44,665 also called “guarapo,” 347 00:44:44,665 --> 00:44:47,935 is a risky dance between man and nature, 348 00:44:47,935 --> 00:44:51,939 where each step must be calculated precisely, 349 00:44:51,939 --> 00:44:55,826 as a fall could have tragic consequences. 350 00:45:31,295 --> 00:45:37,468 This profession requires courage, skill, and knowledge of the environment. 351 00:45:50,531 --> 00:45:56,787 Once we're well positioned to start working, 352 00:45:56,787 --> 00:46:00,774 we raise the "rejada" and start cutting the fronds. 353 00:46:00,774 --> 00:46:02,292 Frond, broom, depends. 354 00:46:03,577 --> 00:46:08,649 The collection of guarapo begins by selecting the appropriate palms. 355 00:46:08,649 --> 00:46:11,235 Once identified, the "guaraperos," 356 00:46:11,235 --> 00:46:15,539 as those in charge of collecting palm sap are called, 357 00:46:15,539 --> 00:46:19,943 climb to the top using the irregularities of the trunk. 358 00:46:20,527 --> 00:46:26,467 After precise cuts in the bud, the precious guarapo begins to flow. 359 00:46:34,408 --> 00:46:38,495 The guaraperos are the guardians of a centuries-old tradition. 360 00:46:38,495 --> 00:46:41,765 Their work is a living testimony of the importance 361 00:46:41,765 --> 00:46:45,803 of respecting nature and living in connection with it. 362 00:46:52,192 --> 00:46:57,848 We come early because guarapo is a very delicate liquid, 363 00:46:57,848 --> 00:47:01,134 it could never be collected during the day like this, in the heat. 364 00:47:01,134 --> 00:47:04,388 This has been dripping into the bucket all night 365 00:47:04,388 --> 00:47:09,476 and by 6:20 when I started, 366 00:47:09,476 --> 00:47:12,529 is when we're collecting it to take it to the factory. 367 00:47:15,032 --> 00:47:19,620 I've already done ten palm trees and we're going to the next one. 368 00:47:19,620 --> 00:47:23,040 Here I have seven and down below I have 15 to collect... 369 00:48:28,288 --> 00:48:30,791 Come on, up you go. Let's go. 370 00:48:30,791 --> 00:48:34,227 Very good. Very good. Yes. 371 00:48:34,227 --> 00:48:35,696 Honey made with firewood. 372 00:48:35,696 --> 00:48:37,114 Come on, Linda Flor. 373 00:48:37,114 --> 00:48:38,215 Bring it here to the fire. 374 00:48:38,215 --> 00:48:39,232 Let's go. 375 00:48:53,697 --> 00:48:55,832 We're going to cook the guarapo 376 00:48:55,832 --> 00:48:57,234 with firewood. 377 00:48:59,069 --> 00:49:01,488 Heather firewood, beech firewood. 378 00:49:05,225 --> 00:49:08,412 Because it's a mirror. 379 00:49:08,412 --> 00:49:09,513 The mirror of life, 380 00:49:09,513 --> 00:49:12,165 of the guarapero's life, of course. 381 00:49:15,786 --> 00:49:19,006 There was no sugar, so honey was made. 382 00:49:20,424 --> 00:49:26,063 And chopping wood, going up the mountain to get firewood... 383 00:49:33,353 --> 00:49:36,239 I think I'm holding onto something that held us. 384 00:49:36,239 --> 00:49:43,046 So we have to understand that progress is not how many things you have, 385 00:49:43,046 --> 00:49:48,068 but what you value and what wealth is to you. 386 00:49:48,752 --> 00:49:52,372 If you look around, you can see what wealth is to me. 387 00:49:55,108 --> 00:49:58,528 Cooking five liters of guarapo 388 00:49:58,528 --> 00:50:03,400 and we'll get half a liter of honey. 389 00:50:05,218 --> 00:50:06,336 It's the stillness. 390 00:50:06,336 --> 00:50:10,123 It's the sound between silence. 391 00:50:11,274 --> 00:50:14,277 If you manage to be in that wave, of being in... 392 00:50:15,278 --> 00:50:18,265 being in the sounds, but in the silence. 393 00:50:19,716 --> 00:50:22,803 Trying to perceive those sounds within silence. 394 00:50:22,803 --> 00:50:26,139 That's already a level... 395 00:50:27,174 --> 00:50:28,375 It transports you, 396 00:50:28,375 --> 00:50:30,027 I don't know where. 397 00:50:30,027 --> 00:50:33,680 Perhaps it transports you to the root of everything. 398 00:51:59,399 --> 00:52:00,901 Three hours, practically. 399 00:52:04,404 --> 00:52:05,622 Here we go. 400 00:52:51,268 --> 00:52:54,938 The island, declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, 401 00:52:54,938 --> 00:52:58,225 is also rugged and wild coast, 402 00:52:58,225 --> 00:53:02,546 surrounded by an intense blue sea that caresses black sand beaches, 403 00:53:02,546 --> 00:53:07,584 and small picturesque villages that seem frozen in time. 404 00:53:28,889 --> 00:53:34,294 Every corner holds the stories and cultural heritage that have shaped this people. 405 00:53:50,126 --> 00:53:54,014 Skilled artisans who carefully work the wood 406 00:53:54,014 --> 00:53:56,433 to bring “chácaras” and drums to life. 407 00:54:13,767 --> 00:54:19,222 Traditional dances with synchronized movements and an almost ritual sound 408 00:54:19,222 --> 00:54:22,976 that are a clear reflection of the customs of this land. 409 00:54:33,270 --> 00:54:37,173 We must not forget that behind each cultural manifestation, 410 00:54:37,173 --> 00:54:40,360 are the people who proudly contribute 411 00:54:40,360 --> 00:54:45,015 their grain of sand to keep the essence of this place alive. 412 00:54:52,739 --> 00:54:58,762 - Whistle with all your might. 413 00:55:00,063 --> 00:55:03,700 - Ahhh Estefanía... 414 00:55:03,700 --> 00:55:07,721 - we're going to La Molina... 415 00:55:22,135 --> 00:55:25,972 The "gofio," whose origin dates back to pre-Hispanic times, 416 00:55:25,972 --> 00:55:28,608 is still made in ancient mills 417 00:55:28,608 --> 00:55:32,879 and remains an essential food in the diet of Gomerans. 418 00:56:06,913 --> 00:56:11,951 Varieties of grapes like the "Forastera Gomera," brought in the 15th century, 419 00:56:11,951 --> 00:56:17,490 are still cultivated today and give rise to extraordinary wines 420 00:56:17,490 --> 00:56:21,327 that further increase the island's appeal. 421 00:56:25,532 --> 00:56:29,753 All living things need love. 422 00:56:31,538 --> 00:56:33,857 Because plants are like people. 423 00:56:53,426 --> 00:56:56,963 Traditional ballads, joyful pilgrimages, 424 00:56:56,963 --> 00:57:00,750 laurel forests, aboriginal ceramics, 425 00:57:00,750 --> 00:57:05,155 Master Stonemasons who continue drawing the island's silhouette 426 00:57:05,155 --> 00:57:08,825 and a unique language that lives on in the wind. 427 00:57:11,344 --> 00:57:17,917 - It is my pride to be Gomeran, and with that pride I die... 428 00:57:23,323 --> 00:57:27,093 An island full of cultural and natural treasures, 429 00:57:27,093 --> 00:57:31,114 where past and present unite through traditions 430 00:57:31,114 --> 00:57:36,519 and where nature and its inhabitants live harmoniously. 431 00:57:36,519 --> 00:57:43,409 An immeasurable heritage that must be preserved for future generations.