The sea is always one of the most important elements in the Canary Islands and it ceaselessly shapes Canary Islands history. The firts inhabitants of the Canary Islands were the guanches, a Berber race from Africa with light hair and features. During antiquity, the Islands were known to the Greeks and Romans who called them the Happy Islands, Garden of the Hesperides and Atlantida.
   Some historians suppose that the legendary continent Atlantis was located here. the Arabs set up a trade business in 999. Many others groups, including people from Genoa, Majorca, Portugal and France, visited the area in the 1200s and 1300s. Juan de Bethencourt was named king of the Canary Islands in 1404, and he eventually turned them over to his nephew. In the 1440s, a Portuguese army took over the island of Gomera and held it for almost 60 years. A 1479 treaty formally gave Spain control of the islands. They have belong to the Spanish Kingdom ever since.In 1492 the ships of Christopher Columbus stopped there on their travel to discover the New World. This was the beginning of the activity of the Islands as a very important port in the trade between Europe and Hispanic America.
   The history of the islands have been reflected in the music history. The typical instruments of the Canary Islands traditional music have their origins in Arabic instruments, such as the guitar, and some instruments of the same family such as timple and requinto. The Canary islands have always been very related to Hispanic America. Cuba and Puerto Rico shared with the Canary Islands the use of the guirado/o or rascadera. This is an instrument of Americam origin that is presently used in Carribean, Central American and Canary Islands music. Thus, the sea has established communication between Africa. The Islands and Hispanic America.
   The importance of the sea in history is reflected in its role as one of the most prevalent motifs in the Arts. Visual arts, literature and music have all been inspired by the sea. The most important artists from the Canary Islands have been enchanted by its awesome power and beauty. Cesar Manrique's "Marinera Roja", Pepe Dimaso "Heroes Atlantes", Alberto Manrique's water colors, and Nestor de la Torre's "El Poema del Atlintico" all paid their tribute to the Sea.