La Guancha Announces All Souls' Day Program to Preserve Local Heritage

Local authorities in the Canary Islands are making the preservation of intangible heritage a top priority, with All Souls' Day celebrations serving as a vital way to honor the community's collective memory. To protect these local customs and strengthen cultural identity, the La Guancha City Council has announced a series of events running from October 30 to November 2.

Coordinated by the Department of Culture and led by Alejandro Hernández, the program blends academic insight with community traditions. The events begin on Friday, October 30, at 8:00 p.m. at the municipal Training Center, where anthropologist Fernando Hernández will give a lecture on how popular beliefs and the concept of fear have shaped the local imagination. This will be followed on Saturday, October 31, at 6:00 p.m. by a guided tour near the Natero cemetery, where participants can learn about local legends through oral storytelling. Please note that registration is required for this tour.

A highlight of the celebration is the "Pan por Dios" tradition. Originally from the Santa Catalina neighborhood, this custom has spread to the town center and Santo Domingo. By involving local schools and children, the town is working hard to keep these traditional practices alive despite the growing influence of foreign holidays.

The council has also organized several formal and religious commemorations. On October 30 at 5:30 p.m., a mass will be held at the Natero cemetery, followed by a ceremony marking the graveyard's 150th anniversary. This event will feature a performance by the duo Angelicus—soprano Sally Li and pianist Romeo Mologni—as part of the 25-26 Canary Islands Sacred Music Festival. The program concludes on November 2 at 11:30 a.m. with an All Souls' Day mass at the El Roque municipal cemetery. Through these events, the municipality aims to strike a balance between honoring the deceased and celebrating its unique historical heritage.