San Fernando pays permanent tribute to its favorite son, Camarón de la Isla
NTo name San Fernando is to bring to mind a unique and passionate music,
a 'jondo' feeling that affects an entire town. The relationship between
San Fernando and flamenco is like that of two lovers, a relationship that
breaks the bonds of time. The oldest known mention of flamenco in San
Fernando takes us back to 1809 when Juan de Dios, the first known flamenco
singer from La Isla was born.
After him there were many who honored the town with their voices, until
Camarón de la Isla came along, the most universal of flamenco singers,
the one who carried the name of his hometown to the farthest reaches.
Camarón felt his roots so close that it was inevitable to take
the name “de la Isla”. La Isla de León still seems to
harbor much duende and nowadays San Fernando continues to give birth to
artists like Niña Pastori and Sara Baras. Flamenco can be felt,
smelled, touched in the streets of this city.
As
is only fitting, San Fernando pays tribute to the most important flamenco
voice of all time with a route that should not be missed by all those
who wish to understand what it is that this town has, to be able to produce
such profound art. La Ruta de Camarón de la Isla starts in the
house where he was born back in 1950. The Iglesia del Carmen, a favorite
Virgin for sailors also born in these parts, and this is where the gypsy
genius was baptized.
The son of Juana la canastera was brought up in number 29, Carmen Street.
There you can see the humble life-style with the typical architecture
of a humble area. The forge that belonged to his father, Luis Monge, situated
on Amargura Street, number 21 is the second obligatory stop. The rhythm
of the hammer and forge have become symbols of the rhythm of flamenco
song.
By the time he was 8 you could already hear his voice at the Venta de
Vargas, a symbolic place that is the next and inevitable stop on this
route. To sip some wine in this historic inn is to savor the depth of
'cante jondo', a taste which for years has remained intact at this inn
along with its fine wines. This old prestigious place heard the first
songs of a thin blond boy who received the nickname Camarón, 'shrimp'
because of his small size. In the plaza just in front of the inn you can
visit the monument erected by the town fathers to one of its favorite
sons.
In the municipal cemetery one comes to the mausoleum where thousands
of followers pass through, and there are always fresh flowers left by
Camarón's fans.
The last stop is the Camarón de la Isla flamenco club which was
opened after his death in 1995, a busy center that is a cathedral of Camarón.
A museum with hundreds of photographs and memorabilia where you can also
sample Andalusian cuisine from the bay as well as singing and dancing
of the disciples of the genius Camarón.
