Indigenous Sports

An important characteristic of the native inhabitants of Gran Canaria was their great love of sports, many of which are still being practiced in modern times. An example is Canarian wrestling (lucha canaria), which is characterised by the nobility, valour and artistry of the way in which it is practiced. This ancestral sport, together with lateen sailing, are the most popular indigenous sports, having the biggest following in the island. However, there are other indigenous sports that demonstrate the richness and variety of the traditions that have been handed down to the Canarian people. Examples of these are the pole game (juego del palo), stick fighting (la lucha del garrote), and pole jumping (salto del palo).

It is clear from these disciplines that the earlier inhabitants developed great skill in the handling of sticks and poles as a means of fighting against their opponents. There are also other disciplines of skill and strength, such as plough lifting (levantamiento de arado), handball (pelotamano), Canarian petanque (bola canaria), cattle pulling (arrastre de ganado) or stone lifting - two varieties: with and without touching one's body (levantamiento y pulseo de piedra), respectively, which are all beautiful to watch. They are also deeply rooted in popular tradition.

Canarian freestyle wrestling (Lucha Canaria)

Historical reference was already made to the practice of Canarian wrestling in the era of the ancient settlers of the Canary Islands. The native people used it to resolve domestic conflict or disputes over land ownership. The wrestling match takes place in a circle of sand known as a "terrero". Two wrestlers enter the circle with the aim of knocking down the opponent through a series of wrestling manoeuvres and counter manoeuvres. The match ends when one of the wrestlers touches the sand with any part of the body other than the feet.

An aspect of this popular sport that provides palpable proof of its noble nature and which always surprised the early chronicles and other foreigners who witnessed the sport, is the gesture of the winner extending the hand to help the loser to his feet, after which he embraces the loser and accompanies him to his corner.

The typical clothes for Canarian wrestling consist of long pants rolled up to the thigh, which is where the opponents grapple each other, with a shirt that hangs below the waist. The contenders do not wear shoes. This indigenous sport is organised by the Federation of Canarial Wrestling, which was founded in 1943 and which is represented in Gran Canaria by the Island Federation of Canarian Wrestling.

Canarian lateen sailing (Vela Latina)

'Vela latina' or Canarian lateen sailing regattas are equally popular in Gran Canaria. The exact origin of this sport is unknown, although some researchers affirm that the native inhabitants constructed wooden sailing vessels. This particular type of sailing involves small boats, which are characterised by their triangular sails and the disproportionate size of the sails compared to the boats (hulls). Indeed, the boat is 6.55 metres in length, 2.37 in breadth and 1.35 in depth. These small dimensions contrast with the great size of the sails that vary from 12 to 13.5 metres. These dimensions mean that the boat cannot be kept afloat without the skilled actions of the crew members, who have to move the ballast around in order to manoeuvre the boat.

Canarian lateen sailing is practiced on the coast of the capital of Gran Canaria between the months of April and October when the trade winds can be used to great advantage. Like Canarian wrestling, Canarian lateen sailing is organised by the Federation of Canarian Lateen Sailing (Federación de Vela Latina Canaria).

Other Indigenous Sports:

Salto del Pastor (The Shepherd´s Leap)