Queen Ico was an indigenous woman from Lanzarote, descended from both the indigenous Majos and the colonizing Europeans. She was born to Queen Fayna, a Majo leader, and Martín Ruiz de Avendaño, a Biscayan captain. Raised by King Zonzamas as his own child, Ico was brought up as part of the royal household, despite her mixed heritage. Her fair skin and hair made her stand out, leading to suspicions and conflicts about her legitimacy throughout her life.
The Majos of Lanzarote
The Majos, a subgroup of the Guanches, were the indigenous people of Lanzarote. They originally arrived on the island around 1000 BCE, from the Bedouin tribes of North Africa. They named their home Tyterogaka (meaning rose colored hill), which was later renamed Lanzarote by the Genoese navigator Lancelotto Malocello, reflecting the early erasure of native culture.
The Majos had unique customs, such as a matrilineal society in which women could take on up to three husbands, a practice that emphasized the social autonomy of Majo women. They were resilient, developing agricultural techniques suited to their volcanic homeland and nurturing a rich oral culture.
Birth and Identity
Queen Ico was born to Queen Fayna and was raised as the daughter of King Zonzamas, the head of the Majo community. However, her true parentage was a source of controversy; her biological father was Martín Ruiz de Avendaño, a Spanish captain who arrived on the island in 1377. According to colonial accounts, Avendaño had been offered "bed hospitality" by King Zonzamas—a custom that supposedly involved offering one’s wife to an honored guest. Whether Fayna consented to this or it was forced upon her remains a matter of speculation, and these colonial narratives often obscured the dignity and agency of indigenous women.
Regardless of her biological origins, Zonzamas accepted Ico as his own, and she was raised as a princess of Lanzarote. Her physical appearance, however—fair skin and hair—sparked suspicion among the Majos, ultimately leading to disputes over her legitimacy and honor.
Quiet Defiance and Indigenous Knowledge
Despite being at the center of a dynastic crisis, Queen Ico's quiet defiance was demonstrated in the ways she navigated her identity. The Majos faced increasing pressure from European incursions, and Ico served as a bridge between worlds, using her position to protect her people and preserve their culture. She held onto her heritage fiercely, and her resilience became a symbol of indigenous pride.
One story that exemplifies Ico’s defiance is her survival of the fumigation ordeal, a trial that tested her legitimacy. Accused of being mestiza, Ico was subjected to a ritual involving confinement in a smoke-filled cave with three of her maids. This trial, conducted by the council of elders, was intended to let the gods decide her fate: if she survived, she was proven to be of noble blood.
With the help of Uga, her childhood caregiver, Ico survived. Uga provided her with a sea sponge to breathe through, allowing her to emerge unscathed while the three maids tragically perished. This act not only saved Ico's life but also restored her honor, asserting her position as a legitimate descendant of Zonzamas. The survival of Ico against all odds became a testament to the resilience of the Majos in the face of colonial and patriarchal oppression.
The Conquest and Its Aftermath
The Spanish conquest of Lanzarote began in 1402 with Jean de Bethencourt's arrival, supported by the Castilian Crown. The Majos were overwhelmed by the advanced weaponry. Despite their resistance, the Majos were subjugated, enslaved, and sold into labor markets in Europe. Their cultural practices were suppressed, their lands stolen, and their population decimated by violence, disease, and forced migration.
The Spanish colonizers renamed Tyterogaka as Lanzarote, erasing the island’s indigenous identity. The capital was moved to the former Majo village of Teguise, and the Castilian feudal system took hold. Despite attempts by the native people to find refuge in volcanic caves like Cueva de los Verdes, by the mid-17th century, only a few hundred Majos remained, their way of life fundamentally altered by colonial rule.
The Legacy of Ico
Queen Ico’s story, as recorded by colonial historians, is full of inconsistencies. Much of what we know comes from Franciscan friar Juan Abreu Galindo, whose work is believed to be based on earlier, biased sources. Such accounts frequently misrepresented the indigenous social structures, referring to Ico as a "princess" and Zonzamas as a "king," imposing European royal terminology on a culture that had its own distinct system of governance and values.
Nevertheless, Queen Ico’s legacy has endured as a symbol of the strength and resilience of the Majos. She represents the intersection of indigenous identity and colonial imposition, embodying the struggles faced by her people as they confronted the encroaching forces of European colonization.
Reclaiming the Narrative
The story of Queen Ico offers us a lens through which we can understand the broader impact of colonization on the Canary Islands. It challenges us to question the colonial narratives that have shaped our understanding of history. By telling Ico’s story from an indigenous perspective, we honor the resilience of the Majos, their culture, and their rightful place in the history of Lanzarote.
We must reject the colonial biases that have stripped the Majos of their agency and identity, and instead, celebrate their contributions to the island's history. Lanzarote was not an empty land discovered by European navigators—it was Tyterogaka, home to the Majos, a people with their own vibrant culture and history long before the arrival of colonizers.
Through Queen Ico’s story, we reclaim and decolonize the history of Lanzarote, honoring the legacy of an indigenous leader who, against all odds, remained true to her people. It is a story of survival, resistance, and the enduring spirit of the Majos—a spirit that continues to inspire and empower the descendants of Lanzarote today.
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