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The People on Fuerteventura. |
Fuerteventura currently counts approximately 80.000 habitants and is the second oldest island of the Canary Archipelago after Lanzarote.
It is a pacific island with numerous hidden and isolated places, extensive beaches and turquoise coloured ocean being an ideal holiday place for all who are seeking silence, relax, sun and beaches. With a distance of about 100 km to Cabo Juby (Western Sahara) it is the Canary island lying closest to the African continent. Same as all the other islands of the Canary Archipelago it has its origin in the volcanic activity on the ground of the ocean thousands of years ago.
The native inhabitants of the Canary islands are called guanches and are specified majoreros on Fuerteventura. The name "majorero” is derivated from the word "majo" which denominated a certain kind of leather shoes worn by the aboriginal people of Fuerteventura. The Spanish expression "Es una persona maja" refers to a nice, sympatic person. People say that its origin lies in Fuerteventura where the offspring of the native inhabitants is still called majoreros and known as very kind and pleasant people.
Formerly Fuerteventura was divided into two parts – the North and the South – which were seperated from each other by a wall (La Pared) reaching from the east to the west coast. The people of the two parts were in steady argument with each other. Furthermore we know that every woman could have three husbands with which she would live together in polygamic manner in caves or housing partially built under earth.
The habitants of Fuerteventura are considered to be very spiritual people. In former times they used to live their rituals and ceremonies on the top of the mountains. An example is the Montaña de Tindaya on the peak of which were found tombs and religious symbols being a sign for its sanctity. Typical foods consumed by the guanches on daily basis were fish, seafood, goat meat, cheese, milk and gofio (toasted wheat or maize flour).
Today Fuerteventura is habited by people of over 30 different nations. Despite of its cosmopolitan character, a high value is set to the conservation and care of the traditions by the natives.
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