The Guanches

We have named the ancient inhabitants of the island, for that reason we dedicate that gap for them. At present, it is possible to visit the places where they lived, the tools that they used and see the mummies.

Before the conquest, a group of people whose name is Guanches (the name refers to this population) lived on the island. It is not sure how they came, due to the fact that they did not to navigate and they did not maintain contact between the islands when the conquerors came. What is known is that they came from northern Africa, exactly they belongs to the Bereber (Berber) population. There exist many theories to explain how they came to the islands. First, the Romans left them on the islands owning the fact that they were a group of rebels. Second, they came here fleeing a tragedy. Third, due to deserfication of the Sahara, etc.   

Tool

Although it is unclear how they came, what is certain is that the first population was established on the 5th  B.C, though it was found discoveries of the 10th century B.C. these inhabitant established in each of the seven islands, nevertheless they did not have communication between them, or so it is believed. The language changed in every island, as they adapted to the environment. Along the centuries, these inabitahts received new ones, seeing clearly in the new tools and the evolution of the language. Though it was a basically spoken language, it has been found some writing finding. 

Gran Canaria is the only island that possesses painting of the pre-Hispanics (or Aborigine, though this word is used for the first inhabitants of Australia, it has been internationalized for all those cultures that were not majority in the place where they lived and gave way to a new one, by assimilation or another process). As we have mentioned, Gran Canaria possesses paintings, exactly La Cueva Pintada de Galdar (Galdar´s cave) which can be visited. The other islands have cave painting. 

The inhabitants of each island have a typical name, nevertheless Guanche has spread to all, though this name belongs to Tenerife.

All these inhabitants had contact with exterior population, often they were captived and taken as slaves to other places. For that reason, during the conquest, Castilians and the inhabitants could speak owning the fact that they have some slaves who worked as a translator.  Lanzarote; Fuerteventura, El Hierro and La Gomera where the first island to be conquered. These islands were called Islas de Señorio, because they were conquered by  by gentlemen. Whereas Gran Canaria, la Palma and Tenerife were conquered with the intervention of La Corona de Castilla ( the Crown of Castile) and them were called Realengo (is a word refers to royalty)

Tenerife was the last one to be conquered, finishing due to the surrender of the Menceyes (Tenerife´s kings), they had not got any way out. The conquest finished at 1496,  which began in 1402. After this moment, the land was divided between all those who helped economically or took part in the company of the conquest. But not only the Castilians resided, but also Portuguese, Frenchmen, Andalusians, Aragonese, etc.

When the conquerors arrived to the island, in the 15th century, the island was divided into nine menceyatos (kingdoms) and each place has a Mencey. This was due to the fact that  Tinerfe (the last king of the whole island)  had nine children and to his death they divided the island between nine. Being this division and the Mencey of each one:

There are actual municipalities which belong to more than one Menceyato, but we have made this divsion.

This population was ruled according to the Mencey, and then the population was divided by social class. The Mencey  had most of the land and livestock. The clothes also were used according to the social class, and the time of the year. When the conquerors came, the population was living in the neolithic period. They worked farming and looking after the cattle, being goats the majority animals, the clothes were realized with its skins, although when they arrived on the islands, they bring sheep, porks and dogs.

As in the rest of the world, men and women had different roles, being the men responsible for livestock, land preparation, comprise the army, make utensils etc. The women had an important role because they were the ones who ensured the transition of real power, no decision was taken without them, were responsible for planting as a symbol of fertility, etc. Although there were different tasks according to gender, there were tasks performed both sexes, such as pottery.

They had several rituals which were released between a natural symbol like dragon tree, the Teide to rain, although these rituals were lost after the conquest. They had several gods and demons. one of them was Guayota (the demon) which lived inside The Teide. One day he decided to kidnap Magec (sun god) and took within the earth. The Guanches prayed that Achaman (a superior god) rescued Magec from that place. Achaman defeated Guayota and looked up him blocked the crater. 

The rules of the society were established at a meeting concerning the Tagoror (a circular place of stones near to the settlement). These desicions were taken out by elderly people and leaders. Nowadays, there are few or almost none.  

One of the important aspects of the society, was the mummification which were practised by few cultures. Tenerife is the island which it has been found more mummies. The mumification was practised as the Egyptians, and it was realized by a specific person, people who devoted their entire lives to this job. It is believed that it is a tradition brought from Africa, since the Berberber were in touch with the Egyptians and he would adopt it to their way of life. This tradition was  not extended to everyone, only for those persons who were important.

Mummies

To make it,  they were paying particular attention drying the body and then embalming it in one or several cups of skin (from an animal). Several plants were used to dry the body and it is kept. The mummies were buried in caves, which were destined for them, and were buried with some apparels used in life too. Many caves have been plundered during the last centuries, because of this fact we find Canary mummies in different parts of the world, either they were a present or just they were stolen. 

In  relation to the caves,  they were used as houses too. Though in Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and even south of Tenerife , there are samples of some settlements made of rocks.

Nowadays, we can see in different museums the utensils that were used, vessels, necklaces, images of divinities, mummies, etc. Though Tenerife does not have any archaeological park, as it has Gran Canaria and La Palma, there are different zones  in the islands with archaeological protection where it was found diverse discoveries. Also museums of the island are the best source of knowledge, since in them there exists great collection.

Settlement

*The photos were taken at Naturaleza y El Hombre Museum (Nature and Man Museum), in Santa Cruz.