30 years ago, in 1994, the first collectives were formed to protect and preserve the legacy of The Shepherd’s Leap – a cultural and historical tradition tied to the identity of the islands.
By using long wooden spear, between 2-4 metres long and metal at its tip, practitioners of the folk sport manage to move through the Canary Island’s rugged terrains, exploring cliffs, ravines and hard to access areas.
The collectives, known as ‘Jurrias’, sort to preserve the tradition which was confined to rural shepherds and about to disappear as modernity took hold. As a result of the great work the Jurria’s have done in the past 30 years to promote and educate local people about the Shepherds Leap, the tradition has been kept alive and become a popular folk sport for many.
Here is a trailer to a documentary that I would love to watch, but can’t find anywhere: