Traditions: "Tablas de San Andrés" by 3º ESO B IES Adeje (November, 29-30)

 Do you know weird traditions? In our island, Tenerife, we celebrate one!

We are pleased to participate in the Canarian Heritage project coordinated by teacher Diego Pérez González.

   

   What is San Andrés about?

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• In November we celebrate the day of  San Andrés in Icod de Los Vinos, Tenerife. It is a very entertaining and traditional day, we do a lot of fun things. Something characteristic of this day is that people descend from a cliff  with a plank of  wood.

• At the Fiesta de San Andrés, on the night of November 29-30, Canarian wines are "covered". Fact that marks the culmination of the fermentation of the broths. From here, the wine bottles with cork lids or pieces of tabaiba wrapped in sackcloth mark the moment of consumption. Then there is a race that consists of tying cans and boats to a metal rope and dragging it through the streets. 

     

 

    What will happen this year?

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• This year we are not going  to celebrate it because of COVID-19. It would be a very irresponsible thing to do, it is too risky, because the people would be in groups increasing the odds of spreading the virus.

   by Noa García

This year the residents of Icod de los Vinos will be left without their tradition of Tablas de San Andrés. The restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic on the island of Tenerife at present, force the town hall to ask neighbors and visitors to keep their boards and not slide down the steep streets of the municipality at least until November 2021.

The city council does not directly organize this popular tradition, but it does facilitate it by closing streets and installing lighting and protection elements in the areas of greatest risk, where many used tires are piled up. This year, due to Covid-19, the city council has been forced to eliminate all these measures and to ask, publicly, that no one put themselves at risk on streets that will remain open to traffic and without the usual security measures.

by Iuliia Kurchatova.

  

What is celebrated?

This festival is celebrated on Saint Andrew's day but it has nothing to do with the religious act. It is celebrated for an anecdotal fact. The story tells that the winemakers had the custom of washing the wine barrels in the sea, there was no transport in the past so they lowered it as they could, for example rolling or on some boards until they reached the sea area. For this very reason it is celebrated, it called the young people's attention and began to see it as something other than a job. It is celebrated the last two days of November in the town of Icod de los Vinos.

 

It is celebrated on the last two days of November, coinciding with the day of San Andrés.  The protagonists are not only young people, people of all ages can participate in it, it is two days of party and fun accompanied by tradition which makes the idea of ​​being able to visit Tenerife and participate in a nice party.

by Nayra Hernández, Ana Ylenia, Melanie Yanes, José Sebastian.

The celebration receives more visitors to participate in it each year, that is why it is recommended that tourists book rural accommodation in advance because due to the influx of visitors it is frequent that the accommodation is sold out. So remember, it is celebrated on November 29 and 30, which is precisely the day of Saint Andrés and as it is a popular custom that was spread by word of mouth, the day of San Andrés was taken as a reference and that is why until today it is known as Las tablas de San Andrés.

by Uchenna, Diego, Andrea.

Do you like this tradition? Did you know it?

I really like this tradition since I find it fun and I would like to go sometime, I didn't know it before. It consists of people carrying boards that they use to jump down a steep street to land on tires.

by Luis Eduardo.

 

 

Nayra Hernández

 Ana Ylenia

 Melanie Yanes 

José Sebastián