Guanches


Guanches

 

the ancient population of the Canary Islands. By the time of the discovery and conquest of the islands by the Spaniards (1402–94), the Guanche population had reached 20,000. They spoke a language close to the Berber languages. According to a great deal of data, the origin of the Guanches was also related to North Africa. They engaged in farming and livestock raising and used tools made of stone and wood. After the Spanish conquest, some of the Guanches were exterminated, others were sent into slavery, and the rest became mixed with the Spanish colonists and lost their language.