The Guanches are believed to be the first inhabitants of the Canary Islands. Where they came from is still uncertain, but they could actually be a mix of Berbers from the north of Africa, and scandinavian vikings. Written material from the spanish 'conquistadores' in the 15th century states that the Guanches could be described as tall and blue-eyed.
Modern research has given that the Canary population of today has a significant level of blood group 0, just as in some areas of North Africa, like the Berbers of Ait Haddidu of Upper Atlas. But the researchers have still not found any solid explanation for the blue eyes of the Guanche population.
All mayor Canary Islands were inhabited by the Guanches, and they were ruled by different tribes. They lived at Stone Age-level, and often used volcanic caves and rock formations for creating small villages. Even though they lived on islands, it seems they never reached a high level of knowledge about sea and boats. And how did they get there in the first place if they didn't know anything about boats?
The Spaniards started to discover the world in the early 1400's, and the Canary Islands were amongst the first territories to be conquered. The conquest of the Canary Islands began in 1402, when the expedition of Juan de Bethencourt landed in the island of Lanzarote.
Every island fought back, but with little success. The Guanches couldn?t stand the millitary pressure from the spanish. After all, the Guanche society was at a Stone Age-level, while Spain at the same time aimed to conquer the whole world by using modern ships and weapons. The story tells us that the biggest islands, the ones of Gran Canaria and Tenerife, were the last ones to fall, after famous battles such as the one of Acentejo, Tenerife.
The Spaniards erradicated the Guanche culture of the Canary Islands in the same way they were to be acting in certain parts of South America some decades later. The Guanche people was either sold as slaves, or as it seems, integrated in the new society which of course meant conversion to Catholisism. The Guanches are nowadays extinct as a distinct people, as they became mixed with the Spanish.
About the author
Anders Jonsson lives in the Canary Islands and he is a member of
Best of The Canaries, a site dedicated to information about vacations and holidays in the Canary Islands.
