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Canary Islands Day in Lanzarote and the other islands of the archipelago is a festive day with numerous traditions and activities that pay homage to Canarian culture. What is celebrated on the 30th of May in the Canary Islands? Find out!
What is celebrated on 30 May in the Canary Islands?
The 30th of May is recognised as the Day of the Canary Islands, which commemorates the anniversary of the first session of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, held on the 30th of May 1983.
That first session took place in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, presided over by Pedro Guerra Cabrera, then a Canary Islands Socialist MP, who called for ‘building a region of islands, from now and forever’.
The Canary Islands Parliament is a body created in the Statute of Autonomy of the Canary Islands, approved a year earlier under the 1978 Constitution.
The Canary Islands tried to have their own autonomous government as early as the Second Republic but, with the Civil War and the dictatorship, that desire was postponed for 46 years. It was on 10 August 1982 that the archipelago was finally able to have the Government of the Canary Islands.
The history of the Day of the Canary Islands and its cultural importance
The Day of the Canary Islands in Lanzarote and the other islands is of great significance for the local population. We must first go back to 30 May 1481, when the Catholic Monarchs signed the Pact of Calatayud, which put an end to the battles in Gran Canaria between the aborigines and the Crown of Castile, and thus sealed the incorporation of the islands into the Kingdom.
Thanks to this signature, the Canary Islands managed to ensure that the aborigines kept their customs, guaranteeing peaceful coexistence, and also included other measures such as the distribution of land and the recognition of free trade.
Is that why 30 May was chosen as the date for the first parliamentary session? Well, they are two historic events for the archipelago that occurred on the same day, but it is a mere coincidence. All this explains why 30 May is celebrated in the Canary Islands. It was chosen as a regional holiday and has been celebrated as such since 1984. Today it is still a date marked in red in the calendar of all Canary Islanders.
Canary Islands Day traditions
The Day of the Canary Islands pays homage to the Canarian identity, which is why colour is one of its main characteristics. Throughout the day, artistic and social activities take place, with folk music and sporting exhibitions of indigenous sports such as wrestling, Latin sailing and garrote.
For example, the town of Tías is one of the most committed to Canary Islands Day in Lanzarote. Here, on 30 May, Canarian wrestling matches are held on sandy terrain. It is one of the most popular Canarian sports, similar to Senegalese wrestling.
There are cultural and leisure activities all over the Canary Islands, and each municipality organises its own programme of festivities in order to preserve the traditions of the archipelago.
Activities and events on Canary Islands Day
On the Day of the Canary Islands in Lanzarote and in the rest of the archipelago , all kinds of events are held, such as folklore festivals, taifa dances or magicians, children’s theatres, fairs, craft exhibitions, traditional Canarian games, sports demonstrations, parrandas gatherings?
The streets are filled with music and many people dress up in traditional costumes or taste traditional Canarian dishes such as papas arrugadas, mojo picón or typical sweets.
There are all kinds of tributes and artistic and cultural events that reflect the Canarian culture, especially in the more rural areas. We recommend you to enjoy the Canary Islands Day in Lanzarote!
