The historic district of Vegueta hosted a route to highlight the silenced heritage of the city, from slavery to LGTBIQ+ repression. The initiative is part of the bid for European Capital of Culture 2031.
The history of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is not only written with feats and monuments. It also pulses in the corners that the official narrative has preferred to leave in the shadows. A recent guided tour through the Vegueta district, led by oral storyteller Dieguito Flores, has focused on those uncomfortable pages: the slavery that nourished the port, the repression against the LGBTIQ+ community, and the erased traces of prostitution in the city.
The route, titled 'Hidden Memories of Vegueta', is part of the activities promoting the city's bid for European Capital of Culture in 2031. Through emblematic squares such as Pilar Nuevo, Santa Ana, and San Agustín, attendees discovered a side of the city that is often hidden beneath the cobblestones.
Anonymous Artists Behind the Great Signatures
The route began in front of the Casa de Colón, a building that, despite multiple renovations, still holds secrets. There is a temporary exhibition of a painting of the Virgin of Pino attributed, at least in part, to Francisco de Paula, an enslaved man who worked for the painter and sculptor Alonso Ortega. Flores explained that it was not uncommon for enslaved individuals with artistic training to complete the works that their masters later signed.
These anonymous artists, condemned to oblivion, almost entirely crafted the pieces that enhanced the reputations of others. However, slavery was not a marginal phenomenon in the Canaries: one fifth of the heritage of Pedro de Vera, governor of the island, came from raids in North Africa, where people were kidnapped to be sold as slaves.
The Port, Economic Engine of Human Trafficking
The economic growth of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria was, for centuries, linked to the trade of people. The route recalled this in front of the Catedral, where the remains of León y Castillo rest, a figure admired for his contributions to urban development but also burdened by his role in the partition of Africa with France. The Church also received a portion of the profits from the raids, which, although prohibited, were temporarily reinstated to alleviate economic crises.
For the local residents, this legacy is still present in the architecture and in the archives. The route invited reflection on how the wealth of the port was built on exploitation, a fact that contrasts with the tourist image of the city. Flores emphasized that the goal is not to judge but to understand the reality without sweeteners.
Archives of LGTBIQ+ Repression and Forgotten Brothels
Another point addressed was the repression of the LGTBIQ+ community during Franco's regime and the subsequent years. The route highlighted places where detentions took place and where files that are now part of the historical archives of repression were kept. The first brothel in the city was also mentioned, whose traces have been erased from the street map but not from the memory of some residents.
For the local reader, this route represents an opportunity to reconcile with an uncomfortable but necessary history. The squares that today host fairs and concerts were witnesses to auctions of people and raids against sexual diversity. The initiative, which will continue in the coming months, aims for citizens to view their heritage with new eyes.
The next edition of 'Hidden Memories of Vegueta' is scheduled for August 2026, departing from Plaza de Santa Ana. Spaces are limited, and registration can be done through the website of the Capital Cultural bid. An appointment for those who want to discover that, beneath the cobblestones of Vegueta, stories still pulse that deserve to be told.
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