The Chalé Fontecha, headquarters of the Institute of Albacete Studies (IEA) ‘Don Juan Manuel’ of the Provincial Council of Albacete, hosted on Friday, May 23, the inauguration of the ‘Traditional Guitar Touch Journeys: towards a Safeguard Plan’, organized by the Ministry of Culture, through the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Fine Arts, together with the Provincial Council and its IEA.
The opening session featured speeches by the provincial president, Santi Cabañero; the director of the Institute, Antonio Caulín; and the deputy director of Management and Coordination of Cultural Goods of the Ministry of Culture, Carmen Cabrera-Lucio Villegas, as reported by the provincial institution in a press release.
During his speech, Santi Cabañero emphasized the musical heritage that inhabits the towns of the province, stating that the traditional guitar touch is a «discreet treasure, often overlooked, but of incalculable cultural value.» He pointed out the significance of holding these Journeys in Albacete, a land that is a «crossroads.»
The president briefly reviewed the richness of styles and techniques that make up the tradition of guitar touch, reflected in the research work carried out by the ethnomusicologist and IEA member Julio Guillén Navarro under the title ‘This guitar I play, has a mouth and knows how to speak,’ edited by the Provincial Council as part of its Tradition and Culture collection.
He also expressed appreciation for those who, through institutional means or personal passion, contribute to keeping this tradition alive: «I would like to thank all those people who, for so long, have taken care of this knowledge that has been passed ‘from hand to hand’ (literally); those ‘oral’ traditions (in this case, of guitar touch) that are ‘fragile knowledge’ that must be cared for, nurtured; and there is much to thank people like Julio Guillén, like Manolo Luna, like so many others who have dedicated themselves to collecting it, caring for it, and bringing it to us.»
In the same vein, the director of the Institute of Albacete Studies, Antonio Caulín, highlighted the commitment of the IEA to culture and research in all its facets, showing the full willingness of this entity to collaborate with the Ministry on future initiatives related to the safeguarding of intangible heritage.
Caulín recalled that the IEA is part of the Spanish Confederation of Local Studies Centers and the Higher Council for Scientific Research, and its more than 130 members cover disciplines ranging from botany to fine arts, through folklore, anthropology, or local history.
He also emphasized the important work that the Institute carries out in terms of scientific and cultural dissemination, both through publications (such as the Al-Basit and Sabuco magazines) and through itinerant exhibitions and research grants, including a new line aimed at undergraduate (TFG) and master’s (TFM) projects, with the aim of promoting the research pipeline.
Using youth language, he argued that «culture pays off,» generating «recognition of the self and dignity for those who inhabit the territory,» and maintained that investing in it is also «a way to fight depopulation,» offering a path of return and roots through knowledge and identity.
CLOSING THE INAUGURATION, the Deputy Director of Management and Coordination of Cultural Goods of the Ministry of Culture, Carmen Cabrera-Lucio Villegas, thanked the Institute of Albacete Studies and the Provincial Council of Albacete for their constant willingness and collaboration to make this event possible.
Cabrera recalled that the idea of organizing these Journeys arose last year, precisely after the declaration of traditional guitar touches as a representative manifestation of intangible cultural heritage, although various reasons have forced the postponement of the meeting until now.
Furthermore, she highlighted the suitability of Albacete as the venue for this event, both for the vitality with which this expression is preserved in the provincial territory and for its role as a link with other regions where it also thrives strongly, such as Murcia or Castilla y León. Cabrera-Lucio emphasized that «the safeguarding of intangible heritage is only possible through the real and active involvement of the carrying communities,» and that the role of institutions in this regard should be to «facilitate, listen, and cooperate, advocating for shared work.»
Thus, she explained that the program format, based on round tables and dialogue spaces, has been conceived precisely to promote the exchange of experiences, approaches, and knowledge among the different actors involved, trusting that the conclusions that emerge from this forum will serve as a basis for moving towards a future National Safeguard Plan for Traditional Guitar Touches.
She also had words of recognition for the team of the Subdirectorate, and especially for Elena Vázquez and Laura Reyes, for the effort, dedication, and enthusiasm with which they have worked to make these Journeys a reality, wishing the participants that the meeting is not only productive but also an opportunity to enjoy sharing and learning about such a valuable and living cultural heritage.
TWO DAYS OF REFLECTION AND ACTION ON TRADITIONAL GUITAR, the program, which extends until Saturday, May 24, brings together about thirty experts from various fields and generations, with lectures, round tables, and live demonstrations addressing topics such as the oral transmission of touch, the communities’ view of their own tradition, the presence of the guitar in scenic contexts, or the role of women in these musical genres.
Among the prominent names are musicians and researchers Julio Guillén Navarro, Manuel Luna, Juan José Robles Mayol, Miguel Ángel Romo, Noelia Llorens ‘Titana,’ Pedro Sánchez Moreno, Pablo Garro, Paz Gómez Fernández, or the luthier Carlos González Marcos. All of them bring a lively and committed vision of a practice that, more than a repertoire, constitutes a way of being and feeling in the world.
The Journeys will conclude with the formulation of shared conclusions that will serve as a basis for promoting, from the national sphere and with community prominence, that Safeguard Plan for Traditional Guitar Touches which, as pointed out by the Deputy Director of Management and Coordination of Cultural Goods of the Ministry of Culture, ensures that this legacy continues to resonate and evolve through the generations.
FUENTE