The research and recovery work carried out by the flamenco clubs, or ‘Peñas as they are called in Spanish, continues to bear fruit. Thanks to the efforts of two great flamencologists, Sebastián Fuentes and Diego Morilla, Juan de la Loma will have his own space in the town where he was born.
According to mayor Josele González (PSOE), “today is the outcome of a request that came directly to the Mayor’s Office a few months ago, promoted by the four flamenco clubs in the municipality. Their presidents, directors and members promoted a proposal to name a public space in the municipality after Juan de La Loma. We finally reached a consensus to place a roundabout very close to Cortijo Don Elías”.
According to Diego Morilla, “we all came up with this idea. Since the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the peña coincided with the 40th anniversary of the death of Juan de la Loma. It was time to organise a series of activities around his figure. This roundabout is the first proposal, but it will be the prelude to other activities that will be carried out”.
The family, moved, received the affection of the authorities and neighbours. His grandson, Juan Miguel Gambero, said that “the whole family is very grateful from the bottom of our hearts. I was very young, I was about 8 years old when he died, and I have only a few memories of him, but according to what I am told, he was a great ‘cantaor’, who had the good fortune to play with masters such as Paco de Lucía, or great flamenco singers such as Vallejo, and who took flamenco singing to very high levels”.
De La Loma had a special connection with the Peña Flamenca Unión del Cante. According to its president, Manuel Cortés, “we are very happy and proud that Juan de la Loma has been awarded this distinction. Juan was the godfather of our ‘peña’ when it was founded”.
This will not be the only act that Juan de la Loma will receive. Diego Morilla and Sebastián Fuentes will soon publish a book about his life based on in-depth research and will also hold conferences and concerts. This roundabout now incorporates a monolith with its plaque.
According to the first deputy mayor José Carlos Martín (Cs), “it has been an important and emotional recognition, because it also means valuing our traditions, our culture and flamenco, which is deeply rooted in our municipality because we have four ‘clubs”.
For his part, councillor Hipólito Zapico (PSOE) stressed that “Juan de La Loma is a figure who lived in Entrerríos, he was a professional flamenco singer, he won many awards in his time. We wanted to promote his recognition to value flamenco and give it the importance that it so often does not get, basically due to lack of knowledge.
Non-attached councillor Juan Carlos Maldonado also attended the event. “We are all very happy about this recognition, this proposal by Sebastián Fuentes, a great connoisseur of our flamenco and precursor of the spirit of the ‘peñas’, forming part of the identity of flamenco in Mijas as a reference”.
The mayor recalled that “very few towns and cities in the province of Malaga can say that they have up to four flamenco clubs. Flamenco is part of our daily life. Juan de la Loma was one of the precursors back in 1913 and today, in 2023, there are many ‘cantaores’ and ‘cantaoras’ who have taken up the baton and make the most of the public spaces offered by the Town Hall so that the ‘peñas flamencas’ can continue to spread flamenco among the residents of Mijas”.
The peña Unión del Cante later organised a friendly gathering at its headquarters, where it inaugurated a small corner dedicated to Juan de La Loma. The participants also enjoyed a social evening.
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