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Antoñito el Farero: The last lighthouse keeper of Lobos
Jul
The work of a lighthouse keeper was always a job suitable only for the brave. Living in the isolated places where the lighthouses were located in Fuerteventura was quite an adventure. Especially if we take into account that they did not have medical assistance nearby, and that the nearest town was several hours away.
But the lighthouse keepers lived it naturally: it was their job. They adapted to living alone, surrounded by landscapes of great beauty, and in close contact with the natural environment. They accepted the good and the bad of their task. In this sense we want to highlight the commendable work that Antonio Hernández Páez, better known as Antoñito el Farero, carried out in the Martiño lighthouse.
Antonio Hernandez Paez
Antonio Hernández Páez was born in La Graciosa. His grandparents were among the first people to settle permanently on the eighth island, back in the last third of the 19th century. The Hernández, the Páiz and a dozen other families arrived in La Graciosa attracted by the installation of fish salting industries. However, after the closure of the salting factory in 1884, many decided to stay.
Antonio Hernández spent his entire childhood and youth in the Chinijo archipelago. It was precisely on the islet of Alegranza that he discovered and learned the work that the keepers did.
Few people knew about the work of a lighthouse keeper. This, together with the death of the substitute keeper of the islet of Lobos, Eusebio Doreste Betancort, led to the appointment of Antonio Hernández Páez as assistant lighthouse keeper in Lobos, in 1936. This is how the graciosero went to live with his family on the lonely islet with his Sentinel: The Martiño lighthouse.
Antonio Hernández Páez lived and worked continuously for more than 30 years on the islet of Lobos. When he retired, in 1968, he could not be more than a couple of days away from his beloved homeland in the middle of La Bocaina. he himself commented:
“I need to go to Lobos, there is a lot of hustle and bustle here and a lot of cars.”
Antoñito el Farero loved his land and Canarian customs. He was an affable, friendly, helpful, brave man who was not intimidated by adversity. Of course, if someone dared to attack his islet, he would bring out his rude seafaring character, stating: “it would be better to leave everything as it is”.
At the top of a small hill he built his house. It was not difficult to identify because it had a large jareas dryer. Those who knew him say that he related many anecdotes, and it is not surprising. Half a century living in just 4.5 square kilometers goes a long way. We love the following story narrated by Ervigio Díaz Bertrana. It reveals the satirical humor and wisdom of Antoñito el Farero
At sunset we return tired to the island of the blehenids. It was in full summer. Late at night I woke up with a start. I heard screaming. I gingerly walked out of the tent, shotgun in hand.
Watch out for wolves! Watch out for the wolves! The lighthouse keeper shouted and shouted.
Through the Bocaina, a ship passed. But man if there are no wolves here? I already know it. I’ve been thirty years and I haven’t seen any. So why so much fuss? Look, that ship is now going somewhere else.
My obligation is to warn the navigators, to be careful with the wolves. The ones here don’t, because they don’t exist. I mean the ones from the Cities! I ignored him and went to sleep. As time went by, I realized that Antoñito the lighthouse keeper was right.
Antoñito became famous both inside and outside our land. It was an obligatory stop for everyone who visited Fuerteventura to go to the islet of Lobos and try the yellow rice seasoned with all kinds of fresh seafood and fish, made by Antoñito el Farero. The last lighthouse keeper of Lobos was invited to participate in the legendary debate program on T.V.E. La Clave, which was directed by José Luis Balbín. On June 3, 1978, the whole of Spain met Antoñito el Farero. It was the 55th issue of La Clave. The topic to be discussed that night was “All Solitude”.
That time was not the first, nor the last, that the assistant lighthouse keeper observed what was going on behind some television cameras. During Antoñito’s stay on the islet of Lobos, he was able to see how several documentaries were filmed there, as well as the German film “Paquito, oder die Welt von unten” from 1968.
Not only Antoñito the Lighthouse Keeper and his whole family were very loved, but also his animals. Fermín the donkey was the attraction of the place. He was able to open beer bottles with his teeth without swallowing the cap. In 1999 Antoñito el Farero was distinguished with the silver medal of the Important Tourism Awards. One of his grandchildren picked it up on his behalf. The event was held in the Maxorata Room of the Hotel Fuerteventura Playa Blanca, in Puerto del Rosario.
Antonio Hernández Páez, Antoñito el Farero, died in 2001. A school and a street in Corralejo remind us of his figure every day.
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