The origins of the current TAGOMATE Folk Group of Tijarafe can be traced back to the former Tijarafe Folk Group. Around 1973, with the arrival in Tijarafe of Father Antonio Hernández y Hernández, the CLUB DE AMIGOS (Friends' Club) was founded. This organization brought together a series of recreational and cultural activities, including the promotion and revival of traditional folklore. From this shared interest arose the Tijarafe Folk Group, which initially limited its performances to the Tijarafe Patron Saint Festivals, specifically the Festivals Celebrating the Islands, which were so deeply rooted at that time and have sadly since disappeared. These Festivals featured such outstanding performances as those of the unforgettable Valentina Hernández from Sabinosa (El Hierro), the La Oliva Group from Fuerteventura, Los Campesinos from Lanzarote, Añoranza from Tenerife, and others.
Little by little, the fledgling Tijarafe Folk Group began to make a name for itself within the musical and artistic landscape of La Palma. Among its achievements in those early days, the recovery and performance of musical pieces, then almost lost and characteristic of the Tijarafe region, such as the Berlina, the Mazurka, and the Caringa, stand out. At this point, it is essential to mention the unforgettable and extraordinary Tijarafe teacher, Doña Demetria Rodríguez, who had already revived the Berlina and the Mazurka long before 1973; and Don Juan Díaz, who in the 1980s played a decisive role in the rescue of one of the most joyful and unique pieces in our repertoire, the Caringa.
Interspersed with periods of inactivity, the Tijarafe Folk Group continued its journey, visiting various municipalities throughout the Canary Islands during this second phase. Then, in the late 1980s, it suffered a hiatus that lasted almost a decade. It wasn't until the Descent of the Virgin of the Snows in 2000 that it returned to the stage, now as the Tagomate Folk Group of Tijarafe. From that date to the present, our folk group has experienced a period of particular activity, participating in important cultural events and festivals, welcoming new members, revising its repertoire, and updating its stage presence. Now in its new phase, the Tagomate Folk Group has visited almost all the municipalities on the island of La Palma, performed at significant pilgrimages such as those in Tegueste (2003) and San Benito de La Laguna (2005) in Tenerife, and even ventured to mainland Spain, participating in the International Folklore Festival of Pola de Siero in Asturias in 2005.
Composed of some thirty members, including dancers and musicians, the Tagomate Folk Group of Tijarafe has set itself a goal: the preservation and dissemination of our traditional folklore; the research and recovery of everything that belongs to our cultural heritage in terms of folklore. Thus, in terms of music, the Tagomate Folk Group of Tijarafe performs the most representative pieces of Canarian folklore, such as Folías, Malagueñas, Polka, Isas, etc., as well as typical pieces from other islands like the Seguidillas of Lanzarote or Gran Canaria, the Folías, Segudillas, and Saltonas of Tenerife, etc., not forgetting those with a special La Palma accent, such as the Aires de Lima or the Sirinoque, in addition to the aforementioned Berlina, Mazurka, and Caringa, typical of our land of Tijarafe.
In other areas of folklore, one of the group's greatest contributions is related to the traditional clothing of our people. And that contribution has a name of its own: that of the sadly departed José Luis Lorenzo Barreto, councilor for culture of the municipality of Tijarafe and founding member of the Tijarafe Folk Group. A man deeply in love with all aspects of popular culture, especially traditional costumes. Drawing on engravings, photographs, documents, books, oral history, and more, José Luis Lorenzo assembled one of the finest collections of traditional Canarian costumes and generously shared his expertise with our group to create a magnificent performance. Our wardrobe ranges from humble yet striking work clothes or peasant attire to the most elaborate and sumptuous mantle and skirt, as well as formal or festive attire, all crafted from original materials such as wool, linen, cotton, thread, silk, brocade, and more.