THE CANARY ISLANDS: MIGRATORY CROSSROADS

1. THE CANARY ISLANDS: MIGRATORY CROSSROADS Iván Abreu Rivera. Darío Barreto Damas. Carla Cardona Llabrés. Cathaysa Herrera Rodríguez. Sara Viera Delgado. IES TACORONTE – ÓSCAR DOMÍNGUEZ TACORONTE – TENERIFE – CANARY ISLANDS

2. INDEX: • Introduction. • Some causes of migrations. • Types of immigration. • Positive aspects of migrations. • Negative aspects of migrations. • Canary Islands issuer of emigrants since the XVII century. • Immigration in Spain. • Immigration in The Canary Islands. • Illegal immigration, the tragedy of the Cayucos. • Immigration in Tacoronte. • The IES Tacoronte-Oscar Dominguez.

3. Introduction: Definition: An immigrant is any person who enters another country with the intention of getting established there. In this paper we will talk about immigration causes, types, emigration and immigration in The Canary Islands, Spain, Tacoronte, and some statistics, graphics and facts about our foreign classmates.

4. Some causes of migrations: Migrations are the result of the difficult international situation. Economic and social imbalance force many people to look for better living conditions in other countries. The main causes of migration are: • Socio-economic causes: Most people who migrate because of economic reasons, seeking a better life. Hunger and poverty in many developing countries force many migrants to risk their lives, in order to flee from their situation. • Political causes: People who fear political persecution often have to leave their country. For example: Spanish nationals who fled from persecution by the Franco government after the Spanish Civil War.

5. War and international conflicts: When people flee from persecution or extermination of the country or conquering army. • Natural disasters: Earthquakes, floods, droughts, cyclones, tsunamis and epidemics have always caused large movements of human beings. • Cultural causes: The culture (religion, language, traditions, customs, etc...) are also important in deciding to migrate from one place to another.

6. Types of immigration: • Legal immigration: when the person has legal permission to live and work in the host country. • Illegal immigration: when the person lives and/or works in the country they have emigrated to without permission.

7. Positive aspects of immigration: • Immigrants often take jobs that people in the receiving country don´t want. • Immigration rejuvenates the population. • Immigrants permit the maintenance and growth of some productive sectors like agriculture and construction. • Immigrants are producers, consumers and taxpayers. More people are enrolled to the social security. • Immigration diversifies and enriches the culture of the country of arrival. Difference is always rewarding and encourages creativity, tolerance and understanding.

8. Negative aspects of migration: • It increases black economy. • It produces an increase in public spending. • Developing countries may suffer "brain drain", after spending their scarce resources on training and educating people that then leave the country. • Mafias may appear trafficking with human beings and other criminal activities. • Tensions and hostilities can appear if local people perceive that immigrants receive more aid and support than the locals.

9. Emigration from the Canary Islands since the XVIIth century: The high migratory nature of the Canarian people is reflected in certain periods of history: From the wine crisis in the second half of the XVIIth century through to the beginning of the XXth century up to the golden 70´s. • People emigrated because of: • Economical crisis • Lack of resources • Overpopulation • They went to : • Venezuela • Cuba • Puerto Rico • Uruguay • They worked doing: • Agricultural work in sugar, tobacco and coffee plantations

10. Beginning of the XXth century • Canarian emigration to Cuba continued in the XXth century. Agricultural job opportunities and the good exchange rate of the Cuban peso, allowed migrants to invest their savings in the Canaries, which were going through a favourable economical situation thanks to new export products: bananas, tomatoes and potatoes. The economical crash of 1929 caused the final collapse of emigration. • Emigration to Venezuela began again after the crash of 1929. • During the Spanish Civil War migration almost stopped. Spain tried to stop the migration. This resulted in crowded boats taking illegal immigrants which made terribly long journeys in very precarious conditions.

11. The golden 70´s • The 1973 crisis in the Canary Islands and the golden age of oil led to many immigrants, mainly young relatives of those already living in Venezuela, to go there. • In certain historical periods more emigrants left the Canary Islands than those who now reach our coasts . In only eight years of the twentieth century 128,000 people left the Canary Islands. Terrible situations, similar to those that we have seen recently with the “Cayucos”, were experienced.  • Also, the economic problems that caused the Canarian emigration in the past, are similar to those now in sub-Saharan Africa, from where most illegal immigrants come from. • For these reasons we must be supportive, we must not forget our recent history.

12. Immigration in Spain: Until the middle of last century, Spain was a migrant sending country, but this trend is reversed in the '70s, first with the returnees and then with the increasing presence of retired pensioners on the Mediterranean coast and the islands because of: • Better weather conditions to lead a healthier life. • Life was cheaper in Spain than in most European countries. Also some entrepreneurs came to set up businesses, especially related to tourism. In the late '90s, with the improvement of the Spanish economy the massive influx of immigrants began: • Those who come from Latin America choose Spain as a destination because of cultural ties and language skills. • Immigrants come from Africa because of the proximity and Spain is the gateway to Europe.

13. Some figures: There are currently more than 4.6 million foreign residents in Spain, representing 11% of the population. Of these, 38.42% are from European community countries, 30% from Latin American countries, 21% from Africa, 6.3% from Asia. The other 4% comes from non-EU countries, North America and Oceania. By nationality the most numerous groups are: • Moroccan (758,174) • Romanian (728,580), • Ecuadorian (441,455) • Colombian (288,255) • British (221,073)

14. Immigration in the Canary Islands: Europeans • The Canary Islands until recently were more an issuer of migrants, but lately immigration in the Canary Islands is increasing in importance. • The Canary Islands because of their climate and economic benefits became, in the 60´s, a trendy destination for many retired people from developed countries, especially Britain and German. They also come from other European countries in search of work, mainly in the tourism industry. • The lifestyle that they can lead in the Canaries is similar to the lifestyle in their own countries, so the adaptation is easier. Consulates, associations and private clubs maintain the cultural links and traditions • They work in: • Tourism • Businesses • Trade There are schools with curriculum in their own language

15. Immigration in the Canary Islands: America, Asia, and Africa • Important parts of current immigration come from Latin American countries. Some are returnees and others choose the Canary Islands looking for a better future because of the language and other cultural and climatic similarities. • Immigrations from Asia are usually motivated by work factors. We can emphasize on the importance of the Hindu Community in trade. • The Canary Islands have received a large number of African immigrants because of their geographical position close to the African continent.

16. They leave their country because of: • High birth rate • Economic insecurity • Lack of food • Little support from developed countries • They are looking for: • Better living conditions • Higher salaries to send to their families They get jobs in: Building Cleaning Domestic service • They have problems because: • Most of them can´t speak Spanish, so it is difficult to study or to find a job • There in less institutional help from their countries • It is more difficult to maintain their cultural identities

17. Illegal immigration, the tragedy of the Cayucos: Because of the difficulties to enter Spain and Europe through the Strait of Gibraltar and other Mediterranean borders, the Canary Islands have become a new route of entry into the European Union. The illegal immigrants enter the Canary Islands through the ports and airports, but the arrival to the coast in “Pateras “ and “Cayucos” (very fragile boats) is better known. In 1994 the first “Patera” arrived. In year 2000, 87 boats transported 2,286 immigrants.

18. This phenomenon reached its most dramatic moment in 2006 when more than 35,000 immigrants arrived in “Pateras”,. Almost daily, dramatic images of exhausted migrants arriving in fragile boats to beaches full of tourists were published in the newspapers. This situation led to a new immigration policy: Since 2007 the arrival of immigrants without papers has decreased, now being the lowest level for ten years with 2,246 immigrants intercepted in 2009, representing a fall of 75.5% in comparison to 2008. More monitoring the coasts Cooperation with countries of origin and transit. Repatriation processes

19. Profile of the illegal immigrants: Mostly between 20 and 34 years old More men than women, although it depends on the country of origin: Morocco→ More men Colombia and Filipinas→ More women • They mainly work in poorly paid jobs: • Construction • Catering • Domestic service

20. Assistance and admittance: • The first assistance is given to the immigrants on the beaches. The Red Cross organizes this attention: first aid, food and shelter. Often locals and tourists have spontaneously helped with the rescue. • Then the immigrants are sent to the Foreign Detention Centres (CIE) where they receive more care and help. Then the process of repatriation begins, if this is not possible, after 40 days they are released. • The number of women, pregnant women and children that arrive has increased. This requires a big investment in social services and a governmental pact for their distribution in the Canary Islands and the rest of the Spanish state.

21. Immigration in Tacoronte: • Tacoronte is in the north –east of Tenerife. The municipality covers 30 square kilometers from the mountains to the Atlantic coast. Tacoronte is famous for the wine known as Tacoronte-Acentejo. • Sebastián Machado who was from Guimaraes, Portugal, founded the town of Tacoronte in 1497 around the hermitage of Santa Catalina that he had built. • The shield of the city makes reference to the home of the founder of Tacoronte, with five axes on a red field, the heraldic crown, and with grape leaves referring to the importance of wine and the inscription TAGORO, the original name of the city. • At present the population is 23,724. There are 988 foreigners, which represents 4.1 % of the population.

22. Procedence • We can see that the foreigners who live in Tacoronte are mostly from Europe. Of these, 40% are Germans, many of them retired. • Among those from America, Venezuela stands out with a 27%. • There are very few foreigners from Africa or Asia, the Moroccans (52%) are predominant in the case of Africa and Chinese (83%) in the case of Asia.

23. Working from the Town Hall • The City Council of Tacoronte held its fourth awareness campaign "Tacoronte and immigration” with workshops, film forum, lectures and presentations on topics related to migration. • There is a CAME centre (centre for the assistance of unaccompanied teenagers) with capacity for 12 people.

24. The IES Tacoronte - Óscar Domínguez: • Our school has 595 students, of which 30 are foreigners. This represents a 5% of the total. • 20 are men (66.5%) and 10 are women(33.5%) By continent of origin, the distribution is as follows:  • Europe: 10 students. 33.3% • America, 11 students. 36.5% • Africa: 6 students. 20% • Asia: 3 students. 10%

25. Some facts about our foreign classmates: We carried out a study asking our foreign students about their experience as migrants. We can highlight the following points: • The main causes for leaving their home countries were: Economical, political and lack of opportunities. • Most of them have not lived in other countries as migrants; some of them have lived in other parts of Spain. • The main difficulty they have at the beginning is with the language. They adapt easily to traditions, food and timetables. • Some have experienced problems with the homologation of degrees and previous studies.

26. They like living in Tacoronte, because of the climate, landscape, security and warmth and kindness of the locals. • They nearly all know that many Canarian people had to emigrate years ago. • They contact their family regularly in their countries of origin, using the telephone and the internet. • 50 % of them have returned to their country on some occasion. • Most of them would prefer to stay here in the future if they can get a good job. Their family and friends are here and they have adapted well.

27. In our school we have had language support and intercultural workshops offered by the Cabildo de Tenerife. Various NGOs have also given talks and workshops on cultural diversity, north-south difference, fair trade, and racism and xenophobia. • We have never had any negative experience involving foreign students at our school, they all adapt well and make friends easily, probably because most of our students know that some members of their families, years ago, also had to leave their hometown, their country, searching for a better future.

28. Say “yes” to immigration – By Carlos Bruñas Immigrants are coming Emigrants come back There are many people looking for A little bit of luck Happiness is waiting for you, Don´t be late If you can´t find it Only follow your fate Coz´ the world is only one nation, Smile and say “yes” to the immigration, A exciting mixture of different tastes, Of different cultures and different languages Today, All is fine, The sun shines, But No! Wait! Now is the hour, The rest cowers, If people suffer, Their problem is ours, There´s no third world, it’s only one, Fight the injustice with words and not with hands Give thanks for the life that you can live And beat the problems with the vibe of the r.a.p. Light up the face of the childhood, Rebuild the base without blood but with food, The problem will not disappear, The problem is here, I could announce, That we must pay, BOUNCE, And I only say...