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The Church of the Guanche People (Spanish: Iglesia del Pueblo Guanche) is a religious organisation, founded in 2001 in the city of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. Its goal is to revive and spread the traditional religion of the indigenous Berber Guanche people who occupied the islands at the time of Castillian conquest.[1]
 The church's official symbol | |
| Formation | 2001 |
|---|---|
| Type | Guanche ethnic neopaganism |
| Headquarters | San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain). |
Region | Canary Islands, Spain |
| Website | Church of the Guanche People |
In 2008, the Church had approximately 300 members.[2] The Church of the Guanche People is included in the studies of minority religions in the Canary Islands.[3]
It was founded by a group of Canarian devotees of the goddess Chaxiraxi, a prominent religious figure associated with the harvest in the Guanche religion.[1] The Church of the Guanche People has performed baptisms and weddings according to what they know of Guanche custom.
In 2002, a wedding held in accordance with purported Guanche rites took place on the island of Tenerife. Such a ceremony had not been observed for several centuries, since the Spanish domination of the archipelago.[1]
The Church of the Guanche People has its own liturgical calendar. It officially begins with the first celebration of Achu n Magek in 2001. According to this system, this is the year 1 of the Guanche New Age.[3]
The Church of the Guanche People is a modern pagan religious body representing Canarian Neopaganism.[1]
The ancient Amazigh people, before the advent of Abrahamic religions, practiced animism, believing that all living things, including plants and animals, possess a soul and spirit, and that even the land is spiritual.[4]
They harmonized with nature, perceiving trees, mountains, waters, and winds as interconnected with their existence and vital being.[5]
This perspective aligns with the philosophy of vitalism, which posits that all entities carry a life force or "vibration," suggesting the universe is a web of interconnected energies rather than isolated objects.[6]
Human societies initially practiced animism or totemism until the agricultural revolution reshaped social structures, introducing patriarchal dominance and leading to the emergence of hierarchical religious systems that enforced belief through power rather than natural affinity.
In animist societies, there was no separation between humans and nature; divinity was seen as an integral part of existence.[7]
In contrast, totemism involved the belief in the divinity or sacredness of a part of the whole—such as an idol, river, or tree—differing from animism's veneration of the entire universe.
The transition to agricultural societies brought about significant changes, including the development of hierarchical structures and the emergence of organized religions that often imposed beliefs through authoritative means.
This shift influenced the spiritual systems of Middle Eastern peoples during the agricultural transition, leading to the development of religious systems that enforced belief through power and domination rather than natural belonging.
The etymology of the word "idolatry" in Arabic stems from "wathan,وثن" which represents a natural evolution of totemism, where specific natural landmarks or beings were venerated as symbols of divinity.
In contrast, animist societies like the Amazigh followed a unifying approach, believing in a universal oneness that sanctified the divinity of the whole and the interconnectedness of beings within a network of mutual and inclusive love.[8]
This perspective fostered a sense of harmony and integration with nature, viewing humanity as an integral part of the cosmos.[9]
The shift from animist to totemic beliefs, and eventually to organized religions, reflects the complex evolution of human spirituality in response to changing social and environmental conditions.[10]
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