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Origin of the name ‘conejero’: a historical overview
The name of the island, Lanzarote, is an adaptation into Spanish of ‘Lanceloto’, the name of the explorer who rediscovered the island in 1312. The Genoese Lanceloto Malocello was one of the first European navigators to reach the island of Lanzarote, back in the 14th century, and it is to him that we owe the popular nickname of ‘conejeros’.
Why are the people of Lanzarote called Conejeros? The explanation is very simple: because of the abundance of rabbits on the island which, at that time, made it possible to trade in rabbit skins.
The name ‘conejero’ comes from a term used by the inhabitants of Puerto de La Orotava in Tenerife (now Puerto de la Cruz), where Lanzarote merchants traded in rabbit skins.
Curiously, the main trade was with London, where they used these skins to make hats.
The culture and traditions of the Lanzarote rabbit traders
The large number of rabbits on the island of Lanzarote allowed its inhabitants to export the skins of these animals between the 14th and 19th centuries. They took advantage of the richness of their land to do business.
Afterwards, and until the 1960s, the Conejeros lived from agriculture, fishing and goat farming. Later, however, tourism became their main source of income.
Despite the changes, their culture and traditions have much in common with those times when sailors came and went, exporting and importing products that form part of, for example, the traditional Canarian gastronomy.
For a long time, the livelihood of the Conejeros was based on livestock and agriculture, mainly the cultivation of barley and wheat, necessary to obtain gofio (one of their most traditional dishes).
How the Conejeros define Lanzarote’s identity
It is not known why there were so many rabbits in Lanzarote at that time, but since they were introduced to the island, they have marked its identity. In fact, prior to this, the inhabitants were known as ‘majos’, another Lanzarote nickname that you should know, because – although less so – it is still used today.
But the commercialisation of rabbit skins marked a before and after. Over the centuries, this influence has shaped the identity of Lanzarote and its people, manifesting itself in its culture and traditions.
The connection with the land and the sea forges a sense of pride and belonging in the inhabitants of Lanzarote. The ancient Conejeros are the origin of their way of life, deeply rooted in their economy, culture and traditions.
The importance of the gentilicios in the Canary Islands
In Lanzarote, and in the Canary Islands in general, to know and use the gentilicios correctly is a sign of respect, as this gives value to the cultural identity of each place.
For the people of the Canary Islands, knowing the ‘gentilicio’ of Lanzarote and the rest of the islands is part of their sense of belonging, as this way of calling the inhabitants of each place is part of their history and idiosyncrasy.
This means that, for those who visit the islands, becoming familiar with these names is a way of getting closer to and better understanding the local culture and traditions. And, for the inhabitants of Lanzarote, the sense of belonging is a sign of identity of their land.
