La Sombrera: Tenerife Village Revives Amid Housing Crisis

La Sombrera, a small village in Fasnia, Tenerife, shows how strong its community is, even with challenges like a changing population and the high cost of housing in the Canary Islands. A recent report says this village, home to almost sixty people, has seen its population grow significantly in recent years, after decades of shrinking.

This growth, especially noticeable after the COVID-19 pandemic, is a big change from earlier times when people left. Many moved to Venezuela in the 1950s and 60s, or left fifteen or twenty years ago to find work. Now, newcomers are buying properties, and descendants are moving back into old family homes. This is happening because of the difficult housing market across the islands, which is bringing new life to the village.

Despite the lack of basic services like a supermarket, medical center, or school —the school closed years ago, meaning children have to travel to Fasnia or La Zarza—, the residents of La Sombrera say they have a good quality of life there. The community is very close-knit and helps each other. They plan ahead and support each other to make up for what's missing. For example, the 'telecenter,' a local community space, brings the community together weekly with workshops and activities, and people like Margarita Tejera are key to organizing village life.

Remembering the past is very important in La Sombrera. This is shown by a 'tree of life' that displays photos of people who used to live there. Old stories, like the arrival of electricity in the late 70s —though, oddly, some people found it didn't help with tasks like sewing as much as their old carbide lamps— or how they used a quilt on the roof to signal when the village's only phone rang in 1985, show how adaptable and clever the residents were. The small church, built by the residents themselves, also shows this spirit of working together and doing things for themselves.

While there are few young people because there aren't many jobs, being close to the main highway and towns like Santa Cruz or the south of the island is seen as a benefit that makes up for being a bit isolated. Even people not born in the village feel a strong connection. They are dedicated to keeping old stories and traditions alive, like how María used to bake milk bread in her oven until 1970. All this shows that, even with changes, the heart of La Sombrera is still very much alive and strong.