A wooden bench on Avenida de Canarias in Vecindario has displayed a plaque in honour of Amadita Santana, a deceased seamstress from the municipality, since this Wednesday. Family members and the mayor unveiled the tribute amidst applause.
Vecindario now has a bench dedicated to Amadita Santana. Since this Wednesday, the plaque placed on one of the seats in the pedestrian area of Avenida de Canarias, in front of Fernando Martínez's pharmacy, remembers this local resident who would sit there every afternoon to chat with her friends. The inscription reads: ‘Amadita, sitting on this bench you planted memories that will never fade. We love you’.
The unveiling ceremony, which took place on Tuesday afternoon, gathered several dozen people around the wooden bench, one of many lining the avenue. Among those present were the mayor of Santa Lucía de Tirajana, Francisco García, councillors, as well as friends and family of the honouree. Amadita's daughters, Yesenia and Domitila Robaina Santana, were the driving force behind the initiative, having requested permission from the Town Hall to place the plaque.
“This bench expresses what Amadita Santana meant to this city, a mother of two children whom she raised with great sacrifice, dedicating herself to sewing, working and caring for her family, and she also has two grandchildren,” highlighted the mayor during the event. Francisco García's words were followed by applause when the plaque was unveiled, in an atmosphere that attendees described as emotional.
Yesenia Robaina Santana, Amadita's daughter, explained that “it is a huge joy to pass by here and see her name where she always sat.” Her sister Domitila recalled that their mother “dedicated herself to sewing and spent most of her life here in Vecindario.” The idea for the plaque arose, according to Domitila, because “many people would stop me and say ‘I remember your mother every time I pass by there’.” From that very bench, Amadita could see the entrance to her home and felt more at ease when she saw her daughters arrive.
The Uruguayan journalist and writer Eduardo Galeano wrote that to remember comes from the Latin ‘re-cordis’, to pass through the heart again. In Vecindario, Amadita's bench becomes a place where locals and visitors can engage in that exercise of memory. The seamstress, who spent most of her life in the municipality, is remembered for her dedication to family and her craft. Those who knew her highlight her friendly character and her habit of sitting every afternoon on that same bench, where she would greet passers-by and chat with her friends.
The tribute, simple yet full of meaning, has been well received by local residents. Many have already approached the bench to read the plaque and share anecdotes about Amadita. The initiative, driven by the family and supported by the Town Hall, demonstrates how a small gesture can keep the memory of a beloved person alive in the heart of the neighbourhood.
For the residents of Vecindario, Amadita's bench is not just a place to rest, but a symbol of the history and relationships that build the community. The plaque, with its message of affection, invites those who sit down to remember a woman who, with her simplicity, left an indelible mark on her surroundings.
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