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CASTILLO DEL ROMERAL: from the cove to the castle
This arid zone of southern Gran Canaria grew from the surroundings of the Count’s House. The population settled in the area named la caleta (the cove). Throughout time, the caleteros spread towards El Castillo (literally, “the castle”), the fortified tower built to protect the harbour and its salt mines from pirate attacks.
The natural source of economic support was fishing, complemented with the extraction of sea salt to manufacture salted fish.
The courage and value of Castillo del Romeral fishermen are legendary, linked for generations to fishing as means of livelihood. The strong winds and the rough sea never stopped these men, resolved to beat any difficulty. Hence, the caleteros were much appreciated by the shipowners all around the island for their bravery and endurance under the hardest conditions.
These men were known as costeros, spending months away from home fishing in the African coasts, so in their absence, their wives took over the lead of their families. With the raise of sharecropping these women shared their home-based labour with auxiliary jobs in the export crops, mainly tomato.
Soon it was realized that combining daily going-outs with temporary jobs in the Count’s crops paid a better return, so the caleteros limited their fishing activities to artisanal coastal fishing giving up the long lasting sailings to the African coast.
Hence, Castillo del Romeral became synonymous with good fresh fish, which alongside with tomato and goat milk never lacked in their tables.
