José Damián Fernández Mérida was born in 1968 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife and is father of a son. He lives in the family home in Tegueste, where he takes care of his animals and his garden, and also produces his own wine.
The charismatic protagonist of AHUL stands out for his extraordinary knowledge, great creativity, and multiple talents. His deep connection with the Canary Islands embraces both the past and the present of the archipelago.
From an early age, Damián felt an affinity for local traditions, participating in agricultural tasks such as threshing. He soon developed a passion for the history of his homeland and the roots of its present-day population. He listened to their music, educated himself through books, and began writing his own stories. He observed, learned, and, in a self-taught manner, developed skills such as pole jumping and clay modeling. Over time, he joined folkloric groups, where his knowledge and experience continued to grow and deepen.
Today he practices Salto del Pastor and Juego del Palo, traditional sports inherited from the indigenous Canary Islanders. He is a nature interpreter guide, a sociocultural facilitator, and a folklorist specialized in instrumental and dance traditions. He is also a member of the livestock association of the town of Tegueste and is committed to traditional Canarian livestock farming and the conservation of native breeds.
With the Asociación Cultural Auchones Libres de las Islas Canarias, of which he is president, he is dedicated to the appreciation, research, representation, and dissemination of indigenous roots, as well as to preserving and continuing the legacy of the ancestors.
In his book Cuentos de Akaiguan (currently planned for reissue), he tells stories—including those set in the Guanche period—in which his deep knowledge about the ancestors, his imagination, and his narrative art come together.
Akaiguan, the Guanche name he chose for himself, means “the awakening of man”: a man who awakens or who has awakened.
