The Canaries to Africa: The Atlantic Strategy of “To Be or not to Be”

Abstract

While the Canaries undoubtedly belong geographically to the African continent, and although their first settlers came from Africa, inhabitants have not always accepted this connection. From the Castilian conquest onward, the islands formed an eminently Atlantic territory that served as a bridge between Europe, America, and Africa. The intensity and consistency of relations with the latter continent were quite strong throughout the centuries. However, as a colonized territory, its capacity for decisions was limited and depended on the choices made outside of the archipelago, including conversations about relations with Africa.