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DRAGON TREE
The Canary Islands Dragon tree is a member of the asparagus family. It is well known for its striking umbrella like appearance. The Guanche people of the Canary Islands used the sap in their mummification processes. The dragon tree's blood had a wide range of uses as a medicine, for staining violins and for embalming the dead.
GUANCHES
The native term guanche means "person of Tenerife." They were the first inhabitants of the island, and there are several theories about their origin
The Legend of the Millennial Drago of the Canary Islands One of the most important legends about this peculiar tree called Drago, narrates the story of a merchant from Mediterranean lands, who was in search of the “dragon blood.” (It was the sap of this tree that at that time was used in some pharmaceutical products). When he arrived to San Marcos beach, at a place called “Icod de Los Vinos” to the north of Tenerife island, he was surprised to see some young women “Guanches” who bathed alone in the sea following a traditional rite. Immediately he began to pursue them and managed to seize one of them. The young woman being captured tried to captivate the merchant´s heart by offering him some delicacies from the earth. The navigator who came in search of the "blood of Drago" and who carried in his imagination the old Greek myth of the Hesperides, thought that the fruits offered by the young woman were the mythical apples of the Garden of
the Hesperides. As he ate the fruits he got distracted. Then the young woman took the opportunity to escape, she crossed the ravine, and took refuge in a nearby forest. The navigator pursued her, but suddenly realized that something stood between him and his prey: it was a Drago tree, which majestically waved its branches as if they were swords. Its trunk resembled a snake and the Guanche maiden was hidden behind it. The navigator, frightened, threw an arrow to what he supposed to be a monster. When the arrow nailed into the trunk, a red liquid sprouted from it. It was the blood of the Drago. Confused and frightened the merchant fled in terror to the sea and quickly got into his boat and began to move away from the coast as he was convinced that he had met one of the Hesperides (fruit tree nymphs) to whom the mythical Dragon had come to defend.
Long ago, the guanches lived happily in the Island of Tenerife, surrounded by peace and nature
Look at this tree. Do you know what it is called? No, I don´t know, mum. What is it called? This is the DRAGO. This tree possesses the blood that cures all evils.
One day, soldiers and marchants from distant lands arrived to the island. They were looking for the “Dragon sap�
You will be our slaves and will help us collect the “Dragon sap”
The “guanches” were scared and run. They hid behind the “Dragon tree”
The soldier, hit the tree, and its sap ran by the trunk. It looked like blood, and the soldier was scared and fled
From that day on, the “Guanches” worshipped the dragon tree as a symbol of protection.
Cathaysa, guanche girl (7 years), originally from Santa Cruz ,was taken captive with other four young women. She was sold as a slave in Valencia, in