The Spanish and Portuguese have left their mark on the folklore of the Canary Islands and the influence of South America is irrefutable.

Songs and Dances

The most typical songs and dances that are found throughout the Canary Islands, albeit with certain local variants, are as follows: isas, folías, malagueñas, seguidillas, arrorró and cantos de desafío. The first four were incorporated into Canarian folklore in the 18th century, a long time after other styles such as the baile del vivo, the tajaraste or the sirinoque.

Canarian Musical Instruments

Canarian musical instruments are extremely distinctive. The Canarian instrument par excellence is the timple, a species of small guitar with four or five strings, depending on the island in question, that produces an extraordinary tone.