A

20

Abanador

Palm fan with a palm-rib handle used to revive the fire in a traditional hearth.

Open term

Acebuche

Wild olive of Canarian thermophilous woodland, useful for reading older lower-midland landscapes.

Open term

Acequia

Water channel for irrigation, essential in the agricultural organization of many Canarian landscapes.

Open term

Achamán

Name associated with a supreme divinity in the Indigenous religious tradition of Tenerife.

Open term

Achimencey

Member of the ruling class or Indigenous nobility of Tenerife, distinguished from other Guanche social groups.

Open term

Achinech

Traditional name attributed to Tenerife in sources and usages linked to the island’s Indigenous world.

Open term

Acorán

Main divinity of the ancient Canarians of Gran Canaria in ethnohistorical sources.

Open term

Aculturación

Cultural transformation resulting from unequal contact between Indigenous people, conquerors and settlers.

Open term

Adelantado

A military and political office used in Castilian expansion and linked to conquest and territorial government.

Open term

Agáldar

Indigenous centre of Gran Canaria associated with the political power of Gáldar before and during the conquest.

Open term

Aguada

Water provisioning for ships, or the places where it was carried out, key to navigation and Atlantic stopovers.

Open term

Alisio

Dominant north-easterly wind that shapes climate, navigation, agriculture and landscape in the Canaries.

Open term

Almogarén

Indigenous ritual space, generally associated with religious practices, offerings or worship.

Open term

Almogrote

Gomera spread made with cured cheese, mojo, oil and seasonings, served as a strongly flavoured traditional preparation.

Open term

Alpendre

Rural building used to shelter animals, tools or crops within traditional agrarian architecture.

Open term

Amazigh

Name used for North African peoples and languages linked to the Indigenous settlement of the Canary Islands.

Open term

Añepa

Staff or insignia of authority attributed to Tenerife’s menceyes in Guanche historical tradition.

Open term

Aparcería

Agrarian system in which landowner and cultivator share production or benefits under work-and-land agreements.

Open term

Arrorró

Traditional Canarian lullaby; the Arrorró melody from Cantos Canarios was adopted as the basis of the Canary Islands anthem.

Open term

Atarjea

Small conduit or channel for carrying water, linked to traditional irrigation and water-distribution systems.

Open term

B

17

Baifo

A Canarian word for a young goat, linked to pastoral vocabulary and the islands’ livestock economy.

Open term

Balayo

Flat round basket made of twisted straw, with a lid, used to carry or store sweets and other goods.

Open term

Barranco

Deep incision in volcanic relief, essential for understanding settlement, water and communications.

Open term

Barrilla

Plant used to produce soda ash, relevant in the export economy of some islands.

Open term

Batata

Tuber widely present in Canarian cooking, used in sancochos, stews and sweets such as truchas or traditional cakes.

Open term

Batea

Wooden scoop used to bail water from boats and also a shopping basket.

Open term

Beletén

Livestock-related Canarianism for colostrum, the first milk after birth, also recorded as belete.

Open term

Belillo

Small bundle, parcel or load that is easy to carry.

Open term

Benahoarita

Name associated with the Indigenous population of La Palma, an island known in sources as Benahoare.

Open term

Bernegal

Large earthenware vessel placed under the filtering stone to collect water drop by drop.

Open term

Bienmesabe

Traditional Canarian sweet made mainly with almond, sugar, egg and aromas such as lemon or cinnamon.

Open term

Bimbache / Bimbape

Name applied to the Indigenous population of El Hierro before the European conquest.

Open term

Borcelana

Canarian form for a washbasin or domestic basin.

Open term

Bosque termófilo

Transitional vegetation between the basal zone and monteverde, with junipers, palms, wild olives and other species.

Open term

Bucio

Large sea shell used as a horn, associated with sound signals and traditional coastal practices.

Open term

Bufadero

Coastal cavity connected to the sea through which waves force out water, air and sound.

Open term

Burgado

Marine gastropod mollusc found in Canarian coastal vocabulary and traditional preparations.

Open term

C

32

Cabildo

An island and local government institution with long historical continuity in the Canaries.

Open term

Cabildo abierto

Expanded meeting of residents to discuss local or island government matters.

Open term

Cabotaje

Commercial navigation between nearby ports or within the same regional area, important for inter-island communication.

Open term

Cajeta

Cardboard box or tobacco case, according to the usage recorded in the glossary.

Open term

Calabaza de agua

Name for a bottle-gourd variety traditionally used as a container.

Open term

Caldera

Large volcanic or erosive depression present on several islands and central to Canarian geography.

Open term

Calima

Saharan dust suspended in the air, reducing visibility and affecting island weather.

Open term

Callado

Rounded pebble, especially a sea-smoothed stone from the shore.

Open term

Cambullón

Informal port trade in goods, strongly associated with Canarian ports in the twentieth century.

Open term

Canarianism

A word, turn of phrase or expression characteristic of Spanish as spoken in the Canary Islands, shaped by historical contacts and island usage.

Open term

Canario indígena

Specific term for the pre-Hispanic population of Gran Canaria, distinct from the modern general use of “Canarian”.

Open term

Cantón indígena

Territorial or political division used to describe the internal organisation of some islands before the conquest.

Open term

Capitanía General de Canarias

Military and political institution of major importance in the administration of the archipelago.

Open term

Cardón

Emblematic succulent euphorbia of the dry basal zone, characteristic of Canarian cardonal-tabaibal formations.

Open term

Cardonal-tabaibal

Dry basal-zone plant formation dominated by cardones, tabaibas and other species adapted to aridity.

Open term

Chácaras

Wooden percussion instruments especially associated with traditional music from La Gomera.

Open term

Chacho

Very widespread colloquial Canarian form used as a familiar address or interjection.

Open term

Chaxiraxi

Indigenous religious figure of Tenerife, later reinterpreted in a Christian Marian key.

Open term

Chicharrero

Popular nickname applied to people from Santa Cruz de Tenerife, traditionally linked to the chicharro fish.

Open term

Chicharro

Fish common on Canarian coasts whose name underlies the popular nickname chicharrero.

Open term

Chifle

Horn tobacco case, part of traditional small personal gear.

Open term

Chinchorro

Large fishing net, equivalent to a seine in Maffiotte’s usage.

Open term

Chiquero

Place where pigs are kept, a popular equivalent of pigsty.

Open term

Chorro

Public fountain, a word Maffiotte especially associates with Tenerife.

Open term

Cochinilla

Insect raised on prickly pears to obtain carmine dye, the basis of an important nineteenth-century economic cycle.

Open term

Comercio atlántico

Network of exchanges between the Canaries, Europe, Africa and America that shaped the archipelago’s economic history.

Open term

Conchero

Archaeological deposit made up of shells and other remains from marine consumption.

Open term

Conquista realenga

Phase of the conquest driven directly by the Castilian Crown in Gran Canaria, La Palma and Tenerife.

Open term

Conquista señorial

Phase of the conquest carried out by nobles or lords with rights granted by the Crown.

Open term

Correíllo

Steamship used for inter-island maritime communications and for carrying mail and passengers.

Open term

Cueva de habitación

Natural or adapted cave used as a dwelling by Indigenous and rural populations.

Open term

Cueva Pintada

Archaeological complex in Gáldar, famous for its geometric paintings and its link to pre-Hispanic Gran Canaria.

Open term

D

6

Data

Documented grant of land, water or other rights during the colonisation process.

Open term

Degollada

Mountain pass or saddle, frequent in place names and in reading Canarian relief.

Open term

Destiladera

Household frame or cabinet for filtering water through a filtering stone and keeping it in a bernegal vessel.

Open term

Dornajo

Trough made from a hollowed tree trunk, also applied to other feeding troughs.

Open term

Dragon tree

An emblematic Canarian plant, especially associated with Tenerife, with strong natural, cultural and symbolic value.

Open term

Dula

Irrigation-water turn or amount assigned for a set period in traditional distribution systems.

Open term

E

11

Echeyde

Indigenous name traditionally associated with Teide and its symbolic dimension.

Open term

Emigración canaria

Departure of islanders to America, Europe or other regions, with strong social and cultural impact.

Open term

Enarenado

Agricultural technique that covers soil with volcanic sand or jable to improve cultivation in dry areas.

Open term

Endemismo

Condition of a species restricted to a limited territory, highly relevant to Canarian island biodiversity.

Open term

Engodo

Bait thrown into the water to attract fish, part of traditional fishing vocabulary.

Open term

Enyesque

Small portion of food served as an accompaniment, snack or bite.

Open term

Eras

Prepared spaces for threshing grain, frequent in rural landscapes and island agricultural memory.

Open term

Esclavitud indígena

Capture, sale or subjugation of Indigenous people during and after the conquest.

Open term

Escribano público

Officer responsible for giving documentary legal validity to acts, sales, wills and agreements.

Open term

Estación rupestre

Site or group of places where engravings, inscriptions or other rock expressions are concentrated.

Open term

Evangelización

Process of establishing Christianity among Indigenous and colonial populations.

Open term

F

7

Faya

Tree characteristic of fayal-brezal and monteverde woodland, common in humid mid-elevation zones on several islands.

Open term

Fayal-brezal

Monteverde formation made up of fayas and heathers, associated with humid mid-elevation zones.

Open term

Faycán

Religious or political-religious figure in Indigenous Gran Canarian society.

Open term

Fisco

Canarianism meaning a small amount or a little of something.

Open term

Flete

Price or contract for maritime freight transport, basic for understanding trade, ports and island exports.

Open term

Folía

Traditional Canarian song and dance, slower than the isa and deeply integrated into island folk repertoires.

Open term

Frangollo

Canarian dessert made with crushed corn or corn semolina, milk, sugar and aromas such as lemon, cinnamon or aniseed.

Open term

G

14

Gadifer de La Salle

French captain who took part in the first phase of the conquest alongside Béthencourt.

Open term

Galería de agua

Tunnel excavated to capture groundwater, important in the hydraulic engineering of several mountainous islands.

Open term

Gánigo

A clay vessel associated with Indigenous Canarian material culture and recorded within traditional vocabulary.

Open term

Gavia

Agricultural runoff-capture system characteristic of arid islands such as Fuerteventura.

Open term

Gofio

Flour made from toasted and ground cereals, with pre-Hispanic roots and a strong place in Canarian food and identity.

Open term

Grabado rupestre

Graphic expression made on rock, frequent in different Indigenous sites across the archipelago.

Open term

Granero colectivo

Communal grain-storage space, often excavated or adapted in cliffs and caves.

Open term

Guagua

A Canarian word for bus, shared with American usage and representative of Atlantic lexical links.

Open term

Guanartemato

Indigenous political unit of Gran Canaria ruled by a guanarteme.

Open term

Guanarteme

Title of the Indigenous ruler of Gran Canaria, especially associated with the centres of Gáldar and Telde.

Open term

Guanche

Strict term for the Indigenous population of Tenerife. For the whole archipelago, use “Indigenous Canarians”, “ancient Canarians” or “pre-Hispanic population of the Canary Islands”.

Open term

Guatimac

Small Indigenous idol or amulet found in Tenerife, with strong archaeological and symbolic value.

Open term

Guayre

Member of the Indigenous elite of Gran Canaria, with noble, military or governing functions according to the sources.

Open term

Guirre

Canarian name for the Egyptian vulture, a bird of prey also used colloquially for a very thin person.

Open term

H

4

Harimaguada

Woman linked to ritual or educational spaces in Indigenous Gran Canarian society, according to historiographical tradition.

Open term

Heredamiento de aguas

Historical institution for water ownership, distribution and management, especially visible in the hydraulic development of sugar-era Canary Islands.

Open term

Hubara canaria

Steppe bird of the eastern islands, especially associated with Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and La Graciosa.

Open term

Humiaga

Place name and symbolic site associated with Indigenous religious traditions of Gran Canaria.

Open term

I

7

Idafe

Rock formation on La Palma associated with Benahoarite religious traditions and the island’s Indigenous ritual memory.

Open term

Ídolo de Tara

Archaeological figure from Gran Canaria associated with material culture and Indigenous ritual interpretations.

Open term

IGIC

Canarian indirect general tax, the tax applied in the Canary Islands instead of VAT.

Open term

Indiano

Emigrant returned from America, often associated with capital, social prestige and new cultural forms.

Open term

Ingenio azucarero

Facility used to process sugar cane, central to the first Canarian colonial economy.

Open term

Isa

Traditional Canarian musical genre and dance, with a lively rhythm and a regular place in folk repertoires.

Open term

Isleños de América

Communities of Canarian origin settled in American territories such as Cuba, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Uruguay or Louisiana.

Open term

J

6

Jable

Light-coloured sand or sandy soil of marine or wind origin, important in agricultural landscapes such as Lanzarote.

Open term

Jaira

Canarianism for goat, linked to the islands’ livestock and pastoral vocabulary.

Open term

Jameo

Natural opening formed by the partial collapse of the roof of a volcanic tube.

Open term

Jarea

Small fish opened and dried, part of Canarian salting and preservation practices.

Open term

Jean de Béthencourt

Norman nobleman linked to the beginning of the seigneurial conquest of the Canaries in 1402.

Open term

Juego del palo

Traditional stick-fencing practice linked to pastoral and rural worlds.

Open term

L

8

Lagarto gigante

Name applied to large endemic reptiles of the Canary Islands, with particular heritage and conservation value on several islands.

Open term

Laurisilva

A humid subtropical forest of high ecological value, associated with Canarian monteverde.

Open term

Le Canarien

French chronicle of the Norman conquest of the Canaries, a key source for the fifteenth century.

Open term

Lebrillo

Open basin or tub of any kind and size in the Canarian usage recorded.

Open term

Libyco-Berber alphabet

A sign system documented in Canarian rock inscriptions and related to North African graphic traditions.

Open term

Liña

Fishing line or handline with a hook, from Portuguese linha.

Open term

Lluvia horizontal

Water capture from mist and clouds by vegetation, crucial for laurisilva humidity and water recharge.

Open term

Lucha canaria

Traditional grappling sport with deep popular roots and strong identity value.

Open term

M

17

Macaronesia

Atlantic island region that includes the Canary Islands and acted as a biogeographic refuge for laurisilva.

Open term

Magec

Name related to the sun or a solar divinity in Indigenous Canarian tradition.

Open term

Magua

Canarianism expressing sorrow, longing or regret for something lost or unrealised.

Open term

Majo / Maho

Name used for the Indigenous populations of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, with variants and historiographical debate.

Open term

Malagueña canaria

Traditional song of Canarian folklore, linked to Andalusian-rooted forms reinterpreted on the islands.

Open term

Malpaís

A volcanic landscape of rough lava terrain that is difficult to cross, common on several islands.

Open term

Malvasía

Historic Canarian wine, renowned in the Atlantic trade of the Early Modern period.

Open term

Mareta

Traditional reservoir for collecting and storing water, especially important in arid island landscapes.

Open term

Mayorazgo

Inheritance system that concentrated family assets in a single hereditary line.

Open term

Medianero

Agricultural worker who cultivates another person’s land in exchange for a share of the harvest or production.

Open term

Medianías

Intermediate belt between coast and summit, essential to agriculture, settlement and rural landscape.

Open term

Mencey

Indigenous chief or king of Tenerife, linked to the political organisation of the menceyatos.

Open term

Menceyato

An Indigenous political unit of Tenerife ruled by a mencey before the Castilian conquest.

Open term

Millo

Canarian name for maize, an American cereal incorporated into island foodways and popular vocabulary.

Open term

Mojo

Characteristic Canarian sauce, with variants such as red, green or coriander mojo.

Open term

Momificación

Indigenous funerary practice documented in the Canaries, especially known through preserved mummies from Tenerife and Gran Canaria.

Open term

Monteverde

A humid mid-elevation Canarian forest formation that includes laurisilva and fayal-brezal woodland.

Open term

N

1

Natero

Small agricultural structure that retains sediment and moisture in ravines or slopes.

Open term

O

2

Obispado de Rubicón

First bishopric established in the Canaries, linked to Lanzarote and early ecclesiastical organisation.

Open term

Orchilla

Dye lichen historically exploited in the Canaries for its commercial value.

Open term

P

23

Paloma rabiche

Endemic bird associated with laurisilva forests, where it feeds on their fruits.

Open term

Paloma turqué

Endemic bird linked to Canarian laurisilva and the availability of humid-forest fruits.

Open term

Pandorga

Circular fishing net described as shaped like half an orange.

Open term

Papas arrugadas

Potatoes cooked with salt, a Canarian culinary symbol and common accompaniment to mojo.

Open term

Pardela cenicienta

Seabird very present in the Canaries, known for its breeding colonies and nocturnal calls in coastal areas.

Open term

Parranda

Popular musical group or gathering with singing, instruments and a festive atmosphere, common in Canarian celebrations.

Open term

Pella

Compact mass of gofio kneaded with water, broth, honey or other ingredients.

Open term

Perenquén

Popular name for a gecko often found in Canarian homes and rural settings.

Open term

Pescante

Crane or lifting device linked to port and maritime work.

Open term

Pestillera

Lock or door fastening in the popular usage recorded by Maffiotte.

Open term

Picón

Volcanic lapilli traditionally used as an agricultural cover to retain moisture.

Open term

Pila

Name used in La Palma and Gran Canaria for the destiladera, the household water-filtering apparatus.

Open term

Pilar

Public fountain in the Gran Canarian usage recorded by Maffiotte.

Open term

Pileta

Stone with a hollow used for washing clothes.

Open term

Pinar canario

Forest dominated by Canarian pine, adapted to fire and widely present on the mountainous islands.

Open term

Pintadera

Fired-clay stamp characteristic of Gran Canaria, with geometric motifs and possible identity or decorative uses.

Open term

Pinzón azul

Endemic bird linked to Canarian pine forests, with island populations of high conservation value.

Open term

Pírgano

Rib of a palm leaf used to make brooms, abanador handles and other implements.

Open term

Piso basal

Low, dry vegetation belt of the islands, dominated by communities adapted to heat, sunlight and aridity.

Open term

Platanera

Banana plant, a central crop in contemporary Canarian agricultural economy.

Open term

Potaje de berros

Traditional spoon stew with watercress, potatoes and vegetables, associated with household cooking in midland and garden areas.

Open term

Puerto de escala

Historical role of Canarian ports as Atlantic stops for navigation, trade and provisioning.

Open term

Puertos francos

Trade regime begun in the nineteenth century that favoured the entry and exit of goods in the Canaries.

Open term

Q

1

Queso de flor

Traditional cheese from Gran Canaria made with vegetable rennet from cardoon flower.

Open term

R

14

Rancho de Ánimas

Traditional religious and musical expression linked to prayers, songs and rituals for the souls.

Open term

Rapadura

Traditional sweet from La Palma, usually cone-shaped, made with sugar or cane syrup and different flavours.

Open term

Raposa

Cane basket longer than it is wide, used for various purposes.

Open term

Rasqueta

Currycomb or iron tool used to clean horses.

Open term

Real Audiencia de Canarias

Highest judicial institution of the archipelago in the Early Modern period.

Open term

Realengo

Condition of territories placed directly under the authority of the Crown.

Open term

REF

Canary Islands Economic and Fiscal Regime, a specific framework linked to insularity and remoteness.

Open term

Regidor

Municipal or council office within historical cabildos and town councils.

Open term

Repartimiento

Distribution of lands, waters and goods after the conquest among conquerors, settlers and institutions.

Open term

Risco

Steep rocky escarpment or wall, very present in Canarian geography, place names and settlements.

Open term

Romance canario

Narrative composition transmitted orally and preserved in the islands’ popular and musical tradition.

Open term

Ropa vieja canaria

Resourceful dish that reheats shredded meats with chickpeas, potatoes and sofrito in different island variants.

Open term

Roque

Isolated rocky plug or outcrop, frequent in volcanic landscapes and island place names.

Open term

Rubicón

Southern Lanzarote enclave linked to the conquest, the first stable European settlement and the initial bishopric.

Open term

S

7

Sabina

Tree or shrub of Canarian thermophilous woodland, strongly associated with ancient landscapes and El Hierro’s juniper woodland.

Open term

Salto del pastor

Traditional technique for moving through steep terrain using a lance, pole, staff or long stick.

Open term

Sancocho canario

Traditional dish of salted fish, potatoes, sweet potato, mojo and gofio pella.

Open term

Sea of clouds

A cloud layer associated with the trade winds that shapes humidity, vegetation and ecological belts on several islands.

Open term

Señorío

Form of jurisdictional rule exercised by a family or lineage over islands and populations.

Open term

Sereta

Small carrying basket or hamper linked to everyday transport and storage.

Open term

Silbo

A whistled language especially associated with La Gomera and long-distance communication across steep terrain.

Open term

T

25

Tabaiba

Common name applied to several euphorbia species characteristic of Canarian landscapes and island vocabulary.

Open term

Tagoror

Meeting, council or assembly place in Indigenous Canarian societies, especially cited for Tenerife.

Open term

Tajaraste

Traditional Canarian dance, especially associated by Maffiotte with rural Tenerife.

Open term

Tajea

Small water channel or irrigation conduit used to carry water.

Open term

Tajinaste

Common name for Echium plants highly visible in the Canaries, including emblematic high-mountain species.

Open term

Talla

Traditional earthenware water vessel, almost spherical in shape and used in the household.

Open term

Tamarán

Traditional name attributed to Gran Canaria in historical memory and contemporary identity usage.

Open term

Tambor gomero

Traditional drum from La Gomera used in romances, dances and island musical expressions.

Open term

Tanque

Pond, tank or water reservoir in popular Canarian usage.

Open term

Taramela

Rotating wooden piece fitted to doors or windows to close them.

Open term

Templero

Piece of pig tail with fat used in popular cooking to flavour broth.

Open term

Tenderete

Festive gathering with music, food and conversation, a symbol of popular Canarian sociability.

Open term

Tenique

A stone from the traditional Canarian hearth; the word survives as a lexical trace linked to older domestic practices.

Open term

Tibicena

Mythic being from Canarian tradition, described in popular accounts as a fearsome or demonic figure.

Open term

Tifinagh

A long-standing Amazigh writing system, used today as a symbol of identity and cultural revitalisation.

Open term

Til

Characteristic tree of Canarian laurisilva, cited among the representative species of this humid forest.

Open term

Timple

Small string instrument emblematic of traditional Canarian music.

Open term

Tolete

Short club or blunt piece, also used figuratively for a clumsy person.

Open term

Tollos

Strips of cartilaginous fish, traditionally dogfish or other sharks, dried and later prepared in sauce or mojo.

Open term

Tomate de exportación

Crop aimed at foreign markets, especially important between the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Open term

Trapiche

Mill or mechanism used to press sugar cane in sugar works.

Open term

Truchas de batata

Canarian sweet, common at Christmas, filled with sweet potato and often almond, sugar, lemon or cinnamon.

Open term

Tubo volcánico

Channel created by flowing lava, whose emptying can form caves, galleries and jameos.

Open term

Túmulo

Stone funerary structure associated with Indigenous burials, especially important in Gran Canaria.

Open term

Tunera

Canarian name for the prickly pear or nopal, a key plant in cochineal cultivation and in agricultural landscapes of arid islands.

Open term

V

5

Vega

Fertile farmland, usually flat or valley-bottom land, important in traditional agrarian organization.

Open term

Ventorrillo

Small popular establishment for food, drink or sales, linked to roads, neighbourhoods and everyday sociability.

Open term

Verode

Succulent plant frequent on cliffs, slopes and arid zones, recognizable in Canarian vegetation landscapes.

Open term

Vidueño

Viticultural term used for grape varieties or blends in Canarian wine tradition.

Open term

Viñátigo

Tree typical of laurisilva, part of the humid communities of Canarian monteverde.

Open term

X

1

Xaxo

Name applied to Guanche mummified bodies, especially in the Indigenous funerary context of Tenerife.

Open term

Z

2

Zafra

Harvest and agricultural work season, especially associated with export crops.

Open term

Zurrón

Traditional leather bag linked to pastoral life and to kneading or carrying gofio and food.

Open term