Saturday, August 23, 2008
The shade of an almond tree
A restoration project is imminent, it seems on the house of the Estévanez brothers in the district of Gracia, in La Laguna. The 18th Century house, now a ruin, had been the property of the Irish family of Murphy, or more precisely to the brothers of Patricio and Nicolás Estévanez Murphy (1838-1914), the former having been a journalist of repute and the later, a military officer, politician and poet; a man who historically put humanity and justice before country.
The lyrics of the Himno de Canarias (Canary Islands Anthem), the first line of which refers to, "... la sombra de un almendro" (... the shade of an almond tree), were inspired by a fragment of a poem by Nicolás Estévanez that relates to the almond tree of his childhood, saying: "Mi patria no es el mundo; mi patria no es Europa; mi patria es de un almendro, la dulce, fresca, inolvidable sombra" (My homeland is not the world, my homeland is not Europe; my homeland is an almond tree, it's sweet, fresh, unforgettable shade.)
The almond tree in question, under which many an intellectual debate has taken place, stood in the grounds of this house and, although the tree became dried out through the years, the trunk still stands alongside the wall.
It was in this house also, that Borges Salas sculpted the voluptuous figure of Fecundidad (Fertility) that presides over the fountain that is the centrepiece of the Parque García Sanabria in Tenerife's capital, Santa Cruz.
After many years of abandonment, the Tenerife Island Council acquired the 12,000 sq m Estévanez estate and intend to restore the house, an important location in Tenerife's history, as a museum, or for cultural activities.
