New Research Reveals Complex Social Lives of Enslaved People in Historical Tenerife

Recent historical research is changing how we understand slavery in the Canary Islands. A study published by Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca, led by Paula Barbero (University of Santiago de Compostela) and Pablo Molejón (CSIC), offers new insight into the family and domestic lives of enslaved people in Tenerife between the 17th and 19th centuries. Previously, most research focused solely on the economics of the sugar trade or human trafficking, leaving the social side of this history largely unexplored.

By analyzing notarial records and population censuses, the researchers found that the enslaved population was much more diverse than once thought. Rather than a uniform group, it included many children under fourteen. The gender balance also shifted depending on the location: while men and women were represented equally in rural areas, women were the majority in urban centers, where they were primarily employed in domestic service.

One key finding centers on the Casa Fuerte de Adeje, home to the island’s last sugar mill. The study documents barracks where living conditions were difficult and forced people into close quarters. In these spaces, the boundaries between legal statuses were often blurred, as enslaved people, freed individuals, and wage laborers lived together. The researchers also identified households led by women, where enslaved mothers often managed the survival of extended family units, even though the status of slavery was typically passed down from mother to child.

This work highlights the Canary Islands' role as a unique Atlantic hub. The islands served as more than just a stopover for ships heading to the Americas; they developed a hybrid system of slavery that combined the urban servitude seen in mainland Spain with the stricter plantation models found elsewhere. For the local elite—including clergy, military officers, and merchants—owning slaves was not just an economic choice, but a way to signal their social status.

Finally, the study notes that while it was possible for enslaved people to be freed, it was rare and usually depended on the owner’s personal choice or long-standing emotional bonds. Most people remained enslaved for their entire lives. This system, which served as a pillar of Tenerife’s economy and social structure for centuries, only began to fade in the 18th century before finally disappearing in the first half of the 19th century.