Jandia Culture Fuerteventura Canary Islands

Jandia

Jandia Culture Fuerteventura Canary Islands

Of the five rooms given over to the exhibition, two contain archaeological material, two contain paleontological elements, and one contains ethographic objects. The first is for the display of archaeological pieces, with models, texts detailing the first European expeditions to the Canary Islands, to the natural resources of the Island of Fuerteventura and to the material culture of the Mahos. The second room recreates the magic-religious world of the aborigines, with a display of idols, texts and photos. In this section you can find a large exhibition of pottery of different types and sizes. The palaeontology section has a set of boards to explain the paleoclimatic evolution of the island. The exhibition ends with samples of different fossils found in the main paleontological sites. The second palaeontology room has an interesting display of skeletal material from the excavations carried out in Cueva de Villaverde, in the municipal area of La Oliva, together with boards explaining the study of this material. In the ethnography part, there is an exhibition of objects such as bowls, lanterns, hide bags, handmills, mortars, and a small display of aboriginal and local pottery.

The Unamuno House Museum is in the former Hotel Fuerteventura, where Miguel de Unamuno stayed during his exile on the island. Here in the house, you can see the spaces and the objects which were familiar to Unamuno, together with photos and texts which flowed from his pen and which demonstrate the intense relation that the writer had with Fuerteventura.

La Alcogida EcoMuseum is a settlement made up of 7 houses which are representative of traditional Fuerteventuran architecture. These houses have been restored respecting traditional architectural shapes and using the same building materials as those used many years ago. The EcoMuseum recreates rural life with craft, cattle-raising and agricultural activities, carried out in situ. It also has two ethnographic houses furnished with elements to evoke the daily life of country families. Traditional food is available in the EcoMuseum cafeteria.

The Windmill Interpretive Centre, located in a traditional house, offers information about the different milling elements used on the island over time, and also its culture. You can see elements such as the rudimentary mortar, the handmill, flourmill parts and a windmill. There is a windmill outside the house which was traditionally used to make cornmeal and flour. You will be able to see how it works and the milled product. If you would like to find out more about these mills on the island, you can follow the route of the mills and visit those of La Oliva, Tefia and La Antigua.

Time for music. Of all the many cultural and artistic events that are organised every year in the Canary Islands, the music events stand out, especially in the winter season. Two of Europe's most important annual events - the Opera Festival and the Canary Island Classical Music Festival - are held in the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the Guimera Theatre in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and concert halls throughout the other Islands.

The Canary Islands Classical Music Festival attracts the most prestigious orchestras from all over the world, such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Last year's Festival, held between February and April, was a resounding success. Next year's 16th Festival, which will run through to March, includes artists like Jorge Robaina, Gustavo Diaz Jerez and Ivan Martin. The Gran Canaria Philharmonic Orchestra (OFGC) and the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra (OST), two of Europe's leading orchestras will participate in both events.

The last Opera Festival included performances by leading singers, such as Carlos Alvarez, Aida Lukandin, Carlo Guelfí and Jose Sempere. The next programme includes Trovador, Manon Lescaut and Romeo and Juliet, with artists like Agustín Prune, Giovanni Tarasconi, Imil Ivanov, Viktor Afanasenko, Aquiles Machado, Tatiana Davidova and Arantxa Armentia, who will maintain the Island´s high standards

The Islands also organise one of the most prestigious Zarzuela (Light Opera) Festivals on the national circuit. Every November, the Association of the Canary Island Friends of Zarzuela put on three light operas. Renowned participants include Enrique Baquerizo, Guadalupe Sanchez, Carlos Duran and Juan Lomba.