I have recently returned from the Spanish island of La Gomera, one of the smallest of the Canary Islands, where an ancient whistling language that seemed to be dying out is now undergoing a revival.
During my visit it was also announced that the Canary Islands, among the most distant outposts of the European Union, are to have a direct connection to the African continent for the very first time from this October when direct flights are launched from Tenerife to Casablanca in Morocco.
This development from the use of the ancient language of whistling to modern air travel marks a revolutionary leap in communication, and their co-existence in the Canary Islands is startling reminder of the dramatic history of our planet.
The whistling language
The Canary Islands lie in the Atlantic Ocean only a short distance off the west coast of Africa. Among them is La Gomera, a small island composed of steep hills, deep ravines and narrow valleys that make communication across the island difficult. So the people of La Gomera devised a way to communicate with each other across this rugged relief by means of a whistled language called Silboa Gomero, also known as ‘el silbo’ (the whistle), that can reach more than two miles and serves as a substitute for the spoken word.
The Canarian people are of North African and Berber origin, and the whistling language came with the settlers from Africa, where there are records of other whistling languages. It was not until the 15th century that the first European settlers arrived at La Gomera and they discovered the whistling language.
It would appear that the whistle was used by the pre-Hispanic inhabitants of the island to communicate their language, which later adapted to Castillian Spanish, and is maintained to the present day because of the particular geography of La Gomera. But as a result of the development of various modern means of communication, such as the mobile phone, its use has reduced dramatically to such an extent that its survival is endangered.
Silboa Gomero is a phonetic language that has been taught in schools on the island since the year 2000, and since 2009 it has become a compulsory subject since the World Heritage recognition of the language by Unesco.
La Gomera can now be reached by an hour’s ferry crossing from Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands whose capital in the north of the island, Santa Cruz, is also the capital of the whole archipelago.
Air link to Africa
That city in turn will soon have a closer link to the African continent, as Royal Air Maroc has announced it is to operate direct flights from Tenerife to Casablanca every Monday, Wednesday and Sunday from 27 October on the new route which is seen as vital for tourism and business and will strengthen trade relations with Africa.
The intention is for the flights to provide a gateway to 23 other African destinations without having to travel the long way via Ireland, the UK or the Spanish capital of Madrid. And Tenerife is already working on campaigns in Morocco to attract tourists and new businesses, while various trade missions are planned for later this year.
As air links expand and ancient languages become endangered, communication between the peoples of Europe and Africa and the rest of the world continues to change.
Michael McGowan is a former MEP and president of the development committee of the European Parliament.
