The Island Council commemorates this day with a campaign through social networks and the publication of a video in which it delves into the universal nature of this whistled language.
Curbelo appreciates the work of the whistlers, institutions and universities of the Canary Islands in the conservation work of the Silbo Gomero
The #soysilbogomero campaign reaches social networks to expose the singularities of this world heritage
This Wednesday, La Gomera commemorates the eleventh anniversary of the declaration of the Silbo Gomero as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It was on September 30, 2009 when UNESCO granted this recognition to whistled language, giving it universal value, thus contributing to its conservation and dissemination.
The president of the Cabildo, Casimiro Curbelo, alluded to the effort made by the whistlers, the Canary Islands universities and the Gomera society to guarantee the conservation and generational transfer of this language. “A high level of protection has been achieved thanks to the commitment of these groups and entities.” In addition, he emphasized the identity of the Silbo Gomero and recalled that it is this language “that is whistled in other parts of the Canary Islands.”
Commemorative video with the testimony of Rogelio Botanz
The video shows the testimony of the member of the Technical Commission of the Gomero Whistle and master whistler, Rogelio Botanz, who for years has contributed to research on this language, which for him represents one of the greatest communicative expressions of the human being, and which is now everyone's heritage. "The UNESCO declaration opened the door to the consideration of the Silbo Gomero as a universal language. This whistled language has said here I was, here I am and here I am going to stay to continue growing," he stated.
Botanz recalled the beginnings of whistled language in schools with words of gratitude to Isidro Ortiz and the deceased, Lino Rodríguez. "At that moment it was proclaimed that you enter school or die, and thanks to their efforts, together with the union of parents' associations and other groups, a beautiful, as well as revolutionary, process was achieved."
#soysilbogomero campaign
Given the health situation and the limitations in holding events, the Cultural Department of the Cabildo promotes the #soysilbogomero campaign with which social networks have been filled with videos of whistlers and people who know how to articulate this language. “We wanted to bring the Silbo Gomero to these platforms so that these days it can be the scene of its expression,” said the island owner, Rosa Elena García.
