The municipality of Mazo between Breña Baja and Los Canarios (lava area of the San Martin volcano) is home to the majority of La Palma's artisans: Potters, ceramists, carpenters and above all embroiderers. Together with Fuencaliente, El Mazo once belonged to the old Canarian tribal area of "Tigalate". The title "Villa de Mazo" was conferred on the community in 1878 by the then Spanish King Alfons XII as part of a city charter.
Guanchen ceramics, market and wine
In the mill of the Ortega family ("El Molino"), in Monte de Pueblo, you can watch the production of the black ceramics known since the Guanches on La Palma. Viticulture also plays an important role in El Mazo. Two kilometers below the central district of Pueblo, the wineries of the "Hoyo de Mazo" winegrowers' cooperative produce a glass of excellent red wine. A little outside the Villa de Mazo, about one kilometer before Malpaíses lies the Belmaco cave and archaeological park Belmaco with rock paintings and a visitor center.
Agriculture plays an important role in Villa de Mazo, which is why the weekly market (mercadillo) is famous and popular throughout La Palma. In addition to wine, potatoes, fruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables and tobacco are grown. The inhabitants used to extract salt by scraping sea salt from the rocks. They also used washed up parts of stranded whales (at the Las Cuevas gorge) by boiling the oil.
Old Canarian legends and migrations in Mazo
A legend with a historical background relates to the conquest attempt of the Spaniard Hernán Peraza (1447) and his son Guillén, who was killed by the tribal ruler Tinamarcin by a skillful stone throw. A few months later, the Spaniards returned from Gomera, where they had retreated. A man named Jacomar tried to violence the fiancée Tinamarcins, the beautiful princess Arecida, and stabbed her. In revenge, he was killed by the brothers of Tinamarcins, the rulers of Tigalate, and thrown to be eaten by carrion birds.
Beautiful hiking trails in the Villa de Mazo region lead from Montes de Luna via the abandoned hamlet of Tigalate Hondo to the impressive Barranco Hondo (Deep Gorge) and Caldereta in Tiguerorte. From San Simon to the Montaña de Azufre (sulfur mountain) you can also do a hiking or MTB-Tour.
