Santa Margarita was the original name of the village. Guatiza is taken from the aboriginal Guanche word “watisa”. However, how it was really spelt or pronounced is lost to history. As is the reason for the change in name. So, two villages, different names, but the same people!
Santa Margarita
Santa Margarita was located on the slopes of the Guenia mountain, very close to the present day Guatiza cemetery. At the time however it wasn’t a cemetery, but a small hermitage, also named Santa Margarita.
The legend of the founding of the original hermitage and hence the village itself is quite charming. The story goes that a devout lady of Uga as a way of giving thanks for answered prayers, made a pilgrimage. It is said that she set out with her camel and an image of Santa Margarita. The exhausted camel finally came to a halt in the foothills of Montaña Guenia. And that’s where the lady of Uga built her shrine, which later became the Hermitage of Santa Margarita.
The village was renowned throughout the island for the quality of its chickpeas and cochineal. Unfortunately, being successful and easily visible on the slopes of the mountain from sea, proved to be its downfall.
Between 1569 and 1586, Lanzarote suffered three serious pirate attacks by Calafat, Dogalí and Morato Arráez. The invaders would make there way from either Los Anconas or Puerto Morro. Their route invariably taking them through Santa Margarita, devastating the village on their way to Teguise.
Throughout the seventeenth century the inhabitants gradually abandoned their homes and settled across the valley in a more secluded position. The modern day Guatiza gradually emerges.
Guatiza
The church in Guatiza is also associated with another legend, this time from the sea. According to myth, after several years of severe drought, a shepherd finds an image of Christ whilst walking on the beach. Excited, he immediately brings it back to the village.
After a few days it began to rain ending the drought. That year the village enjoyed a bumper harvest. The townspeople attributed this miracle to the image of Christ found by the shepherd. And so they decided to erect a church in honour of, The Christ of the Waters.
Walks
There are a number of walks in the Guatiza area. Mostly starting from either the Cactus Garden or the Petrol Station on the outskirts of the village. From the Cactus Garden you can make very easy walks only 1 – 2 hours looping into Mala. Also a circular walk around the base of Montaña Calderetas, no hills and dirt roads all the way.
From the Petrol Station there are a host of flat, circular walks of varying length taking in sections of the costal path.
One of my favourites, starting from the Cactus Garden is Montaña Calderetas, but it does involve a little scrambling and the path isn’t always easy to find.
Santa Margarita / Guatiza Links
Historia de Teguise is a great source of information on the villages of the municipality. There is also an informative blog site guatiza.com