The Folkloric Group Las Mahoreras is celebrating a week of activities to remember the art of tomato packing, a key labour in the history of the municipality of Ingenio. The programme includes exhibitions, traditional music, and theatre.
The Folkloric Group Las Mahoreras has launched a cultural week dedicated to recovering the memory of tomato packing, a trade that for generations was the livelihood of numerous families in the municipality of Ingenio. The initiative is part of the festivities in honour of the Virgen del Carmen.
An Exhibition that Travels to the Past
Among the scheduled activities, a photographic exhibition stands out, showcasing historical images of the packing process, from the harvesting of tomatoes to their preparation for export. The photographs, provided by residents of the Las Majoreras neighbourhood, depict the harshness and pride of a job that shaped the identity of southeast Gran Canaria.
The exhibition has sparked great interest among attendees, who recognise in the snapshots relatives and settings that were part of their childhood. More than 200 people have already visited the exhibition in the first few days, according to the organisers.
Theatre and Music to Keep the Tradition Alive
One of the highlights of the programme has been the theatrical representation of tomato packing, performed by the group Armando Gopar. The play meticulously recreates the daily tasks, physical effort, and working environment in the old packing warehouses.
Attendees, many of whom are former workers in the sector, could not contain their emotions when they saw themselves reflected on stage.
“It was like going back to those years when the whole neighbourhood would rally during tomato season,” commented a local resident after the performance.
Traditional music and popular songs have also played a prominent role, with performances by the group itself that evoked the songs that brightened the long working days.
The Neighbourhood Recovers Its Image of the Virgen del Carmen
The programme has been marked by devotion to the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of the Las Majoreras neighbourhood. The Pilar Festival Committee has managed to recover an old image of the virgin that has been restored and will preside over the religious events once again.
The group has expressed a desire to create a museum of tomato packing in the neighbourhood, a space that collects the history of this trade and serves as a legacy for future generations. The initiative has the support of the Ingenio City Council, which is already studying the provision of a venue to house the collection.
For visitors, the cultural week is a unique opportunity to learn firsthand what life was like in the agricultural Ingenio of the mid-20th century. Activities continue until next Sunday, with afternoon hours at the group's headquarters.
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