Examining cultures that use whistled languages for communication, the Silbo Gomero of the Canary Islands.
Silbo Gomero: A Whistled Language of the Canary Islands
Silbo Gomero is the only kind of whistled language on La Gomera, one of the Canary Islands. It is an ingenious method of communicating messages by whistling that carries over long distances of roughly 5 kilometers across the island’s rugged topography.
Cultural and Historical Background
Origins: Silbo Gomero goes far back to prehistoric times and was originally used by the island’s native Guanche people. The arrival in the 15th century of the Spaniards gave Ibiroits new graces from Castilian Spanish.
Purpose: Its main purpose was communication with someone situated deep in a valley or uphill where normal vocal communication wouldn’t reach.
Recognition: In 2009, UNESCO declared it an Intangible Heritage of Humanity, thus acknowledging its cultural importance and efforts to preserve it.
How it Works:
Whistling Structure: The language converts phonemes (speech sounds) of Spanish into whistles. It varies pitch and length of whistles to represent syllables.
Applications: Silbo Gomero can convey very complicated messages, in terms of daily matters and very important announcements.
Preservation and Revival
Modern Teaching: Due to fears for its extinction in the 20th century, Silbo Gomero was then considered for revival. Today this language is taught as part of the curriculum in La Gomera’s schools.
Cultural Pride: A powerful sense of cultural pride comes from the language of the islanders, therefore attracting linguists and tourists alike, interested in something so extraordinary.
Presently, more than 20,000 people in La Gomera know how to use the whistled language. Whistling is now experiencing tremendous growth thanks to La Gomera Whistled Language School, La Aula Insular del Silbo Gomero, which accepts students of all ages.
Critch & TC
Sources:
The Unique Whistled Language of La Gomera | La Gomera
Universal Chronicle 
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