Vicente Hernández: Fifty Years as Betancuria’s Coastal Commissioner

The Cabildo of Fuerteventura and the Government of the Canary Islands honored the veteran goat herder on September 6, recognizing five decades of service to the coastal livestock tradition of Betancuria.

Recognition by the Cabildo and the Government of the Canary Islands

The ceremony took place during the traditional apañada (coastal livestock roundup) of Betancuria. Attendees included Cabildo president Lola García, the regional minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty Narvay Quintero, the island’s primary‑sector minister Matías Peña, Betancuria mayor Enrique Cerdeña, the director of Livestock Andrés Díaz, and the Canary Islands tourism minister Jessica de León, among other municipal and island representatives.

“Vicente Hernández has devoted fifty years of his life to safeguarding the island’s livestock heritage and preserving a millennial tradition,” said Narvay Quintero.

The Cabildo, through its Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, highlighted Hernández’s role in keeping alive an ancestral Majorero tradition that is a cornerstone of the island’s cultural identity.

His Lifelong Commitment

• 79 years old, Hernández has been the coastal commissioner of Betancuria since 1975.
• He first participated in an apañada at eleven years old and has never missed one since.
• He has taught the practice in Fuerteventura schools, ensuring the knowledge passes to future generations.
• He oversees the capture of livestock in three gambuesas (wetland areas): Llano del Sombrero, Gambuesa Nueva, and Janey, blending animal management, territorial knowledge, and community cooperation.

“His commitment has kept the coastal Majorera goat—a native breed of great value—alive and guaranteed the continuity of the apañadas as an expression of identity, community, and respect for the land,” noted Matías Peña.

Recognition Also from Coalición Canaria

The Asamblea Majorera – Coalición Canaria Fuerteventura issued a separate statement congratulating Hernández on his fifty‑year tenure. The party thanked him for preserving an ancestral tradition of great cultural importance, describing him as a reference for a pre‑Hispanic practice that remains one of the most emblematic symbols of Majorero culture.

“Thanks to his dedication, the coastal Majorera goat and the apañadas continue to stand as symbols of the Majorero people’s identity,” the statement read.

The Celebration

tribute, organized by Hernández’s family, friends, fellow commissioners, and other island stakeholders, took place after the apañada at Gambuesa Llano del Sombrero (Ajuy). from the Cabildo, the Government and Parliament of the Canary Islands, and all municipal councils of the island participated in the event.

The honor underscores the vital role of coastal livestock management in Fuerteventura’s agricultural heritage and celebrates a lifetime of unwavering dedication to a practice that defines the island’s cultural landscape.