The Plaza de la Candelaria in Ingenio hosted the Children's Festival of Traditions this Saturday, where children and adults shared spinning tops, ropes, and marbles, reviving traditional Canarian games.
The Children's Festival of Traditions returned this Saturday to the Plaza de la Candelaria in Ingenio to show that fun doesn't need screens. Dozens of families gathered for a morning dedicated to traditional Canarian games, organised by the Cultural Association of Choirs and Dances of Ingenio as part of the XXXI International Folklore Festival Villa de Ingenio ‘Solidarity Showcase of the Peoples’. Spinning tops, marbles, ropes, pimbas, and races filled the space with laughter and camaraderie across generations.
A Journey to the Past with Traditional Games
The spinning tops spun tirelessly on the plaza floor, while the younger ones learned from their grandparents the art of throwing them. Marbles and glass marbles were also stars of the day, along with games like the handkerchief game and sack races. The day also included face painting, bouncy castles, and traditional rides on a Canarian donkey, which became one of the main attractions for the children.
This year's edition featured Puerto Rico as a guest country, contributing games similar to those in the Canaries, such as the spinning top and marbles. “Games have historically served to bridge cultures separated by thousands of kilometres,” highlighted the organisers. The Canarian Stick Fighting drew great curiosity, with a demonstration by the Federation of Canarian Stick Fighting.
The Heritage Value of Games
The vice president of the Federation, Samuel Suárez, explained that the recovery of this sport began by listening to the last shepherds who preserved their knowledge. “We completed the research with testimonies from Canarian emigrants in Cuba, where the first stick fighting championship was held,” he noted. Suárez highlighted the craftsmanship required to make each stick, crafted from acebuche wood worked on for months.
The secretary general of the European Association of Traditional Games and Sports defended the need to offer leisure alternatives that complement technology. “More than competing with screens, the goal is to recover the value of shared play across generations,” he indicated. During the event, it was the parents, mothers, and grandparents who taught the rules to the children, fostering exchange.
Upcoming Folklore Events in Ingenio
Indigenous sports will continue on 23 July at 10:00 hours at the ‘El Chiquero’ Wrestling Arena in Los Molinillos. At 11:30 hours, in the Plaza de los Molinillos, ‘Come Dance with the Festival Groups’ will be held, where participants of the 31st edition of the International Folklore Festival of Ingenio will teach traditional dances from their countries. An opportunity for the residents of Ingenio to continue enjoying live cultural heritage.
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