People on the mountainous Canary island of La Gomera are embracing a centuries-old language used to communicate across long distances: whistling. Before the internet, phones and even modern roads, Gomerians had no way of getting news quickly to villages on the far sides of enormous ravines and valleys. “Pirates!” “Fire!” “We need a doctor!” The piercing sounds of whistling are now a mandatory part of public education on the island. The World’s Gerry Hadden reported this story from La Gomera last fall.
This story originally aired on Nov. 30, 2023.
We want to hear your feedback so we can keep improving our website, theworld.org. Please fill out this quick survey and let us know your thoughts (your answers will be anonymous). Thanks for your time!