On the opening day, Mayor Masco Aurelio Pérez highlighted the importance of the unity of people and communities for their growth, and historian Fernando Bruquetas spoke about the Pilgrimage of Santiago del Pinar.
The program of cultural and institutional events of the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council to commemorate the 131st anniversary of the granting of the title of Villa to this municipality (October 3, 1984 by Queen Regent María Cristina) began this Wednesday evening at the Pancho Guerra Cultural Center, in the historic center of Tunte.
At the opening ceremony, Mayor Marco Aurelio Pérez Sánchez alluded to "the importance of valuing the unity of individuals and communities when it comes to forging the growth of individuals and the societies in which they live," while the Councilor for the Presidency, Culture, and Education, Elena Álamo Vega, stated that the City Council is organizing this event "convinced that the only way to move forward into the future is by maintaining a retrospective look at our past and our cultural heritage, and by highlighting the traditions, history, and heritage of the municipality."
The inaugural ceremony for the 131st anniversary of the town was attended by members of the delegation of mayors of the Association of Galician Municipalities of the French Way of St. James. Its president and mayor of Triacastela, María Olga Iglesias Fontal, highlighted the unity of this organization for more than 20 years, "completely independent of any political ideology, economic, and social differences," and promoted "with the commitment to preserve, protect, and disseminate the ancient Way of St. James," she noted. "We are Jacobean villages, and more than just a place name. It is the Way that gives us our own identity," she insisted.
Historian Fernando Bruquetas de Castro spoke at the session, giving a presentation on the Santiago del Pinar Pilgrimage, which between the 16th century and the suppression of religious celebrations at the hermitage in the 19th century became the most important pilgrimage on the island of Gran Canaria—held from July 23rd to 25th. "The image of Santiago del Pinar (Santiago El Chico) was the center of island devotion. For Canarians, the pilgrimage to the hermitage in the Valle de La Plata was a tradition that combined ancient rites, perhaps cults of pagan origin, that were intertwined with Christian doctrine," he explained. He also described how this pilgrimage collapsed due to the misdeeds of young people who entered the hermitage naked and on horseback, and how it was later redirected with the closure of the hermitage and the removal of the image of Santiago El Chico to the parish church in Tunte.
At the end of the evening, which also included the screening of a video about the history of Tunte and its residents, and musical performances by singers Ivan Montesdeoca and Kristie Jiménez, municipal authorities from Galicia and San Bartolomé de Tirajana exchanged commemorative plaques of remembrance and gratitude, and Judge Reyes Martel's work as promoter of the event was recognized.
This Saturday, the cultural anniversary celebration moves to the Mirador de Las Dunas, a landmark venue where the Masdanza Festival will offer four performances by dance companies from Catalonia, the Basque Country, and the Canary Islands. Next Saturday, October 11, the San Bartolomé de Tirajana City Council's 2025 Honors and Distinctions Gala will be held, and on Saturday, October 25, the Las Palmas Symphony Orchestra will perform its concert "Songs that Taste of the Sea" on the esplanade of the Maspalomas Lighthouse.
