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Fuerteventura
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Fuerteventura - the name probably comes
from "fuerte" = strong, and "viento"
= wind.
It is these often extremely strong off-shore winds
that particularly attract wind-surfers.
Every year in August, the world speed-surfing
championship is held in Fuerteventura.
And there is plenty for beach lovers, too, with
more than 50 kilometres of sandy beach.
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Fuerteventura, the island with the
oldest history, has the longest beaches of all the archipelago,
of wonderful fine sand.
Only a narrow channel separates Fuerteventura from the
African continent. It is a paradise equally for spending
holidays at the beach as for fishing. There are great
beaches even very close to the islands capital, Puerto
Rosario.
The unusual sight of windmills, a reminder of its farming
past, can be found throughout the island, which is known
as the ‘granary of the Canary Islands’.
But there’s a lot more to enjoy. Despite its desert
like landscape it has over one hundred and fifty beaches,
the most extensive coastal platform of the archipelago,
three thousand hours of sunshine a year and a naturally
peaceful environment. Fuerteventura is an open invitation
to all nature lovers.
Located just 100 kilometres off the coast of north Africa.
It's the second biggest of the islands, after Tenerife,
and has the longest beaches in the archipelago. The
island is a paradise for sun, beach and water sports
enthusiasts. It's not the place for all-night ravers
but Fuerteventura (or Fuerte as it's affectionately
known) is perfect for families and couples seeking a
relaxed winter sun holiday.
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island's colourful past can be traced in a variety
of ancient buildings, monuments, archaeological
sites and museums. The
first settlers are believed to have arrived here
from North Africa - the word Mahorero or Maho
is still used today to describe the people of
Fuerteventura and comes from the ancient word
'mahos' meaning a type of goatskin shoe worn by
the original inhabitants.
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They lived in caves and semi-subterranean dwellings,
a few of which have been discovered and excavated
revealing relics of early tools and pottery.
In 1405 the French conqueror John de Bethencourt
took the island and gave his name to the capital,
Betancuria on the west coast (Puerto Rosario
took over the mantle as island capital in 1835).
The name of the island itself is believed to
have come from Bethencourt's exclamation "Que
forte aventure!" (What a grand adventure).
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A
less romantic explanation is that the name simply
means "strong wind".
Whatever the truth of the matter, Fuerteventura
still offers the modern day visitor plenty of
adventure. Here you can go shark fishing, kite
surfing, explore beautiful blue lagoons and volcanic
hills…or just lie back and soak up the sun
on some of the best beaches in Fuerteventura.
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Fuerteventura Culture :
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Craftwork
, Craftsmen :
The Insular Craftwork
Centre (Centro Insular de Artesanía) was
one of initiatives of the Fuerteventura Inter-Island
Council and was created in order to guarantee continuity
of one of the most important elements of the island's
cultural heritage: craftwork.
The gradual disappearance
of island crafts, as a result of contemporary
socio-economic changes, is the main reason why
this centre was established so that Fuerteventuran
craftwork could be promoted, encouraged and boosted.
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The main aims of the Craftwork
Centre are to:
Popularise, encourage, and promote the craft sector.
Encourage research into those crafts which the
older generation still remember promote the teaching
of craft trades among the younger generation and
to transmit these values to generations to come
Search for sales channels for the craft products,
since marketing is the best way of ensuring sector
survival.
Embroidery:
This handiwork consists in removing threads from
the fabric in order to form different designs
on the woven material: these pictures are often
inspired by wildlife or architectural motifs which
have been taken from nature.
The women from Fuerteventura have deservedly won
recognition for this handiwork, this delicate
art, which they generally carry out in their own
homes and it is still common to see them sitting
in the doors of their houses, bending over their
embroidery frames and working on spotlessly white
cloth.
The embroidery designs elaborated in Fuerteventura
are very characteristic and they stand out for
their delicacy and their excellence. This is one
of the island crafts which has achieved greatest
recognition on its own individual merits, and
according to historians, it originates from Portugal.
Buying and owning embroidered table linen is always
a good investment, as they are unique pieces which
have been worked with love and dedication.
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Wood
- Musical Instruments:
Woodworking acquires its own importance with the
production of musical instruments, and the timple
and the violin are the most popular along with the
guitar and the bandurria.
Boats:
Boat building is also worthy of mention and in all
seafaring communities, launches and boats are built
and repaired so that they may be used fishing and
sports activities.
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Clay:
Of all the rich and varied insular craftwork, clay
is perhaps the one which is the most deep-rooted
and traditional. Understandably, it is the oldest
and originates directly from aboriginal culture.
Traditional models are still made such as the tofio
(a traditional milking bowl), the azadera, hornillos
(cooking plates), and other such models which combine
the usefulness and beauty of these elements, as
these are still used today and are more than merely
decorative items.
Clay was for a long time the most exploited natural
resource, and the fine pottery was used for household
crockery. |
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