‘La Laguna, la picota y con el mazo dando’ (La Laguna, the pillory and with the hammer giving) will tour the municipality’s districts to showcase the justice systems, new trades, and the convergence of cultures at the beginning of the 16th century.

La Laguna is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its declaration as a World Heritage City and, among the commemorative activities, this month it will launch the historic complex program to bring a very important part of local history to the municipality’s districts: how Laguna society was formed after the conquest of the island and the new challenges faced by a population from multiple origins, while at the same time the streets of a new city were being laid out, the first designed under the humanist precepts of the Renaissance and which would become the benchmark for many new Latin American cities.

The Councilor for Cultural Heritage, Adolfo Cordobés; Historian and educator Néstor Verona and Burka Teatro director Nacho Almenar presented today all the details of the dramatized tours “La Laguna, la picota y con el mazo dando” (La Laguna, the Pillory and with the Hammer Giving), an initiative that combines historical accuracy, a relatable and entertaining narrative, and the only World Heritage city in the Canary Islands. Through the recreation of the justice systems of the early 16th century, the show delves deeper into the birth of the Laguna identity.

This is a show open to all audiences and, following the magnificent reception of its premiere in December and the streets of the historic city, will now be performed in five locations in the Northeast, Anaga, and Guamasa. The dates run from this Wednesday until May 25.

Adolfo Cordobés elaborated on the objectives of the initiative, which “takes advantage of a very powerful educational tool to foster knowledge and appreciation of our heritage, as a necessary step toward promoting its defense and protection. The historic city and its outstanding universal value belong to all the people of La Laguna and Tenerife, and these routes open a necessary door for us to reflect on our birth as a community and understand the collective responsibility to preserve our history.”

The councilor noted that, “through carefully crafted theatrical performances accompanied by historical explanations, this tour immerses us in the challenges and transformations of that era: the arrival of people from different cultures, emerging social norms, and the introduction of new institutions. Stories that, although anchored in the past, resonate deeply in our current identity.”

Néstor Verona will accompany the Burka Teatro company throughout the tour to explain the historical events recounted. “We propose a journey back to the first fifteen years of the 16th century, when the conquest of Tenerife was over and the urban layout of the island’s capital began. This historical context allows us to learn about the arrival of the first settlers and the new crops, trades, and industries they introduced, but also about the judicial and public punishment processes that reinforced the authority of the Adelantado.”

And between scenes, “the actors and actresses will recreate the pillory, a coercive device that was implemented at the time between the upper and lower towns. In addition, we will accompany a Portuguese man who requests land to start a fulling mill and masters the technique of making nateros, a system for harnessing runoff water and creating new farming areas. But to obtain the land, he must be married, and he tries, despite some difficulties, including demonic possession,” explained Nacho Almenar, who reserved the rest of the surprises for the audience.

The performances will begin this Wednesday (May 30th) at 7:00 PM in the Plaza de la Catedral del Casco, and the following day (May 1st), the initiative will travel to the Plaza de Santa Rosa de Lima in Guamasa, also at 7:00 PM. Also this week, on Sunday, May 4th, the event will offer a cultural and leisure alternative for Mother’s Day in the Plaza de San Isidro in Las Carboneras, this time at 12:00 PM.

The performances will conclude on May 25th with two sessions. At noon, “La Laguna, la picota y con el mazo dando” will be performed in the Plaza de San Bartolomé de Tejina, and that afternoon, at 6:00 PM, at the San Diego Hermitage. The tours are open to all audiences, are free, and no prior registration is required.