La Palma, Canary Islands
La Palma, in the westward group of the Canary Island archipelago, has succeeded in preserving its fragile ecosystem. Sensitive tourism is the beneficiary: a national park that preserves the native pine forest attracts walkers and nature lovers from all over the world. The Caldera de Taburiente National Park is a spectacular ring of volcanic summits rising up to 2000 meters. The preservation here of the Canary Island pine has helped conserve water reserves for the island community, a proud people who have lived and farmed on this 700 square kilometer island for over half a millennium since the first Spanish settlers arrived. Although hard times are a living memory for the older generation, today the island has all the prosperity associated with the vibrant European Community. The Reconquista triumphalism of Catholic Spain in 1492 has been confirmed by EU membership. The Canary Islands, politically, are emphatically European.
The map hints at a different story. These islands lie off the coast of Africa. Archaeologists working on the deep history of the archipelago are revealing more and more about the Canary Islands’ African origins. When the Spanish “discovered” the islands, the Canaries were inhabited by the Guanche, a people probably connected to the Berbers of North Africa. Occasionally separatist talk is heard on the archipelago, as is usual in island communities, but any attempt to stress historic links with Africa are quickly suppressed. That road would be economic suicide. Not for the last time on this epic journey do we find ourselves confronting contested histories.
La Palma, in the westward group of the Canary Island archipelago, has succeeded in preserving its fragile ecosystem. Sensitive tourism is the beneficiary: a national park that preserves the native pine forest attracts walkers and nature lovers from all over the world. The Caldera de Taburiente National Park is a spectacular ring of volcanic summits rising up to 2000 meters. The preservation here of the Canary Island pine has helped conserve water reserves for the island community, a proud people who have lived and farmed on this 700 square kilometer island for over half a millennium since the first Spanish settlers arrived. Although hard times are a living memory for the older generation, today the island has all the prosperity associated with the vibrant European Community. The Reconquista triumphalism of Catholic Spain in 1492 has been confirmed by EU membership. The Canary Islands, politically, are emphatically European.
The map hints at a different story. These islands lie off the coast of Africa. Archaeologists working on the deep history of the archipelago are revealing more and more about the Canary Islands’ African origins. When the Spanish “discovered” the islands, the Canaries were inhabited by the Guanche, a people probably connected to the Berbers of North Africa. Occasionally separatist talk is heard on the archipelago, as is usual in island communities, but any attempt to stress historic links with Africa are quickly suppressed. That road would be economic suicide. Not for the last time on this epic journey do we find ourselves confronting contested histories.
