Often, the narrative surrounding the Romani people has been constructed by external voices, perpetuating stereotypes and silences. However, figures like Josefa Santiago Fernández, José, and Pilar Heredia, siblings, have emerged to tell their own story, challenging an incomplete and often distorted image. In Tenerife, this reality remains unknown to many.
Josefa Fernández, born in Lanzarote and raised in Gran Canaria, is a Canarian Romani activist whose family arrived in the archipelago last century. The Francoist repression on the peninsula, which included police persecution and laws like the Vagrancy Act, led many Romani people to migrate to the islands, considered a prosperous place. Some came directly to the Canary Islands, while others emigrated to Latin America, especially from Melilla and Málaga.
Currently, Tenerife is the island with the largest Romani presence, hosting about 450 families, totaling over 3,000 people. The epicenter of this community is in the La Cuesta neighborhood in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, although significant clusters also exist in Añaza and in southern municipalities like Arona and Granadilla de Abona. Josefa, in addition to her Romani activism, is a feminist who began her fight at 15, challenging traditional gender roles both within and outside her community. At 25, she secretly obtained her driving license, an act of personal empowerment.
“"Since I was little, I felt in my heart that Romani women should be more than just simple ladies who only had to marry, have children, work, and obey."
After almost five decades of activism in the La Cuesta neighborhood, Josefa leads the Romí Camela Nakerar Association, an entity that creates support networks. Her daughter, Pilar Heredia, 45, works as a social mediator, bridging the gap between administrations and the Romani community. Pilar highlights the difficulties Romani women face in pursuing education and the persistence of external stereotypes as the main current barriers.
“"They don't hire us. We have problems accessing decent housing, education, trades... People think we only live off aid. If our job is to clean a house, they think we're going to steal from them. We struggle to enroll our children in school. They doubt our intelligence. They don't want us in administrations. Have you seen a Romani person leading a public institution? I haven't. And that's without counting the labels, biases, and prejudices."
Josefa's tireless work was recognized on October 30, 2023, when she became the first non-artist Romani woman to have a street named after her, located in a small square in the La Candelaria neighborhood of San Cristóbal de La Laguna. Furthermore, her association boasts the first office in Spain dedicated to supporting Romani families and women.
Josefa's son, José Heredia, 43, has inherited his mother's fighting spirit. He leads the only Romani flamenco festival in the Canary Islands, an event that began as a family idea 14 years ago and is now a national benchmark. For José, flamenco is a form of activism and a platform to showcase Romani talent, culture, and identity. The festival, originating in La Laguna, expands throughout the archipelago, bringing Romani roots to every corner of the Canary Islands through tours, workshops, and talks.
“"Since our language was forbidden, our voice was our way of expressing ourselves."
The history of the Romani people in the Canary Islands dates back at least to 1629, with the record of María de Gracia, known as María La Gitana, prosecuted for “superstitious practices” in La Palma. These stories, along with the struggle of the Fernández-Heredia family, highlight the true meaning of International Romani Day, celebrated every April 8, to make visible a rich and diverse culture that challenges persistent stigmas.
