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Society & Culture |
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The native islanders are known as guanches, or lovers of liberty. Actually, it means 'descendent of Tenerife .' At present however, the name is used to refer to native islanders from all the Canary Islands . Guanche is also their language, which has sadly been lost a little after the invasion. Only a few words and terms are left of the dialect, which are still used today. According to history, the inhabitants were tall, physically powerful, and with fine features. They lived in the Neolithic age and exhibited a pastoral way of life. Their society also had the custom of women being married to three men. Furthermore, they had a king named 'menecey' or 'guanarteme ', and were a gentle people who embalmed their dead and worshipped only a single god. They also had laws and hence, judges. Courageous as well as lovers of liberty and dignity, they preferred to die before losing their freedom.
The native islanders wore goat skins and ate meat that they conserved in salt, fish, gofio, butterfat and cheese. The same food they also give as an offering to their gods. The native islanders were farmers and fishermen who led an undisturbed life, apart from the constant pursuits of European explorers who, as they traveled from Europe, came across Lanzarote first. The island of Lanzarote was the first to be conquered by the Norman expeditions under the protection of their famous knight, Juan de Bethencourt . The invasion of the Canary Islands lasted for about a century.
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Lanzarote > Society & Culture
