The Unique Burial Practice of the Guanches in the Canary Islands

What was the unique burial practice of the indigenous Guanches in the Canary Islands?

Before the Spanish conquest, who had their dead turned into 'xaxos'?

Answer:

The indigenous Guanches in the Canary Islands had their dead turned into 'xaxos' before Spanish conquest.

In the Canary Islands, the indigenous Guanches had a unique burial practice for their dead, which included the mummification of the bodies into a form known as xaxos. This tradition was disrupted and essentially ended with the arrival of the Spaniards, who pursued a two-fold approach to subjugate and eradicate the native population.

The first was through the waging of what was deemed an unjust, bloody, cruel war. Secondly, the Spaniards executed those who sought to regain their freedom or rebel against their rule. The cruelty of these acts is echoed in other contexts of Spanish conquests, where unarmed indigenous dancers and singers were massacred to enforce dominance and subjugation.

Archaeological excavations have revealed communal graves and evidence of careful burial practices among other conquered populations, such as the Jews during the Black Death in the Crown of Aragon, suggesting reverence and respect towards the deceased, contrasting with the brutality they faced during conflicts. Documentation and archaeological findings combine to offer insights into the funeral rites and beliefs of subjugated cultures, as well as the savage acts perpetrated against them during historic episodes of colonialism and religious persecution.