See the whistling island of La Gomera
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the small island of La Gomera, one of the eight which form the Canary Islands, a once-threatened language is now enjoying a revival.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Silbo Gomero, the only whistled language in the world which still exists, has been a compulsory subject on the island since 1999 and an optional subject in the rest of the archipelago.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, almost all of the island’s 22,000 residents can understand it, and it has since been declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The language uses six condensed sounds - two representing the five spoken vowels in Spanish, and the other four representing 22 consonants which are lengthened or shortened to mimic Spanish words.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since whistles can be heard further than shouts, Silbo Gomero was created to communicate over long distances because they can be heard for kilometres.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There are several different whistling methods used on the island and experienced whistlers can often tell who is whistling by their “accent” alone.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, to save confusion most whistlers introduce themselves and call out the name of their intended recipient.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The most traditional method is captured in </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">José Darías</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">’ </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Whistling Tree</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> sculpture at Mirador de Igualero, a viewpoint overlooking a ravine where the language was most frequently used.</span></p>
<blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/COkb6dNIhtR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div>
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div>
<div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div>
</div>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/COkb6dNIhtR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Turismo de La Gomera (@lagomeratravel)</a></p>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Eugenio Darias, a 70-year-old retired Silbo Gomero teacher, pioneered the Silbo Gomero programme and remembers when many more of the inhabitants would use the language to communicate across the island’s deep ravines.</span></p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fdw.travel%2Fvideos%2F748836829170434%2F&show_text=false&width=476&t=0" width="476" height="476" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It was difficult terrain to work on - nobody wanted to climb up and down the ravines to pass on a message,” Darias explained. “Because of this, so many whistling conversations were happening at the same time, and we would have to wait our turn. It was like traffic!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“However - during the 1960s and ‘70s, most agricultural land was abandoned and many of the workers left the island,” he continued.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“As Silbo Gomero was mostly used between local livestock holders, when they left the island, the whistling left with them too.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Additionally, modern technology and improved roads and paths on La Gomera took away the practicality and necessity of Silbo Gomero.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, Darias stepped in to ensure it would be used and understood by future generations.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It can even be heard in areas where there is no phone service.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I know of two goat herders who still whistle to each other,” Darias said. “They are nephews who live on the south side of the island. Their livestock moves around in an area with no mobile network, and that’s why it’s necessary for them to use it.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When asked if he would use Silbo Gomero if his phone ran out of battery, Darias made his stance clear.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Of course!” he said. “After all, we’d still communicate that way if phones didn’t exist.”</span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Hello Canary Islands, lagomeratravel / Instagram</span></em></p>
