The ‘Calvianers’ gala highlights the maritime heritage of Santa Ponça

Historical images of sa Caleta and the iconic water ski tow evocated the transformation of Santa Ponça.

After the success of the first edition, dedicated to Magaluf and presented in October 2025, the project continues its journey through the different areas of the municipality to recover the oral and visual memory of Calvià through the voices of its protagonists.

The gala combined the screening of audiovisuals and historical images with the appearance on stage of the ten honourees, protagonists of stories that form part of the collective memory of Santa Ponça.

Calvianers is an initiative of the Calvià Town Council that rescues living memory in order to strengthen the identity of the municipality. The project highlights the people who, through their effort and commitment, have built today’s Calvià, celebrating the shared history that unites the community.

Among the testimonies, Luis Nigorra provided a historical perspective on one of the families linked to the development of Santa Ponça. He recalled the origins and evolution of the former agricultural estate and milestones such as the creation of the Yacht Club or the golf courses.

Likewise, Juan Mir received recognition after dedicating forty-six years of his professional life to the Santa Ponça Yacht Club, becoming a much-loved figure.

Montserrate Canals took the audience back to Santa Ponça in the 1970s, evoking a childhood marked by freedom and friendship. He recalled building makeshift huts in sa Caleta and those endless summers he described as a true “Verano Azul”.

Maribel Rayó shared her experience as a pioneering entrepreneur, arriving from sa Pobla at just twenty-one years old to open the first optician in the area, eventually becoming a familiar figure for several generations of residents.

Antonio Lechuga moved the audience with the story of his arrival from Granada in 1978, when he was looking for a better future without imagining that he would end up becoming an essential part of the Santa Ponça Club. His dedication as a team delegate and kit manager allowed him to witness some of the fastest promotions in regional football.

One of the most emotional moments of the night was the special tribute to Dr. José Ignacio Ramírez Manent, medical director of the Santa Ponça Health Centre since its opening more than three decades ago. The Mayor awarded him the Medal of Municipal Merit for his outstanding professional and human work.

At the end of April, Dr Ramírez became a full member of the Royal Academy of Medicine of the Balearic Islands, the first family doctor in this institution with more than 200 years of history. In 2024 he received the prestigious General and Family Medicine Award. A distinguished researcher, he also carries out important teaching work at the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) and CESAG Comillas. He was also the promoter of the subject in his specialty.

The renowned doctor promoted the implementation in Calvià of new services such as physiotherapy units and mental health care, at a time when the area had significant healthcare deficiencies. “I have always tried to provide the best care to the population,” he recalls in his testimony. The Town Council publicly recognised a career marked by closeness, vocation of service and commitment to public healthcare, which has made him a reference doctor for generations of Calvianers.

Dorte Stub Larsen, who arrived from Denmark more than five decades ago, offered a heartfelt account full of sincerity and gratitude towards the land that welcomed her. A defender of animal welfare, she highlighted authenticity and traditions as some of the municipality’s great values.

Ricardo Palacios recalled the experience shared by thousands of workers who arrived from different parts of Spain during the tourism boom. At just sixteen, he left Albacete in search of job opportunities in Mallorca. That temporary journey eventually became a lifetime in Calvià.

Meanwhile, Bernat Carrot, historical adviser to the Town Council for almost fifteen years, received thanks for his contribution to keeping the municipality’s collective memory alive and preserving emblematic traditions such as the Festes del Rei en Jaume.

The gala also honoured Javier Lirio de Marcos and Javitxu Lirio González, father and son united by a shared passion: karate. Founders and leading figures of this discipline in the municipality, they have trained several generations of athletes and helped place Santa Ponça and Calvià on the national and international competitive map.

The evening also featured a performance by popular Mallorcan comedian Agustín Martínez “El Casta”, who connected with the audience through a warm monologue full of references to Calvià and its people, sparking laughter and complicity among those present.

During the event, the Mayor of Calvià, Juan Antonio Amengual, stressed that “towns are not built only with buildings or infrastructure; they are built with people. People who work, who create, who care, who build community and leave a mark. With ‘Calvianers’ we want to acknowledge their legacy.”

Through the Calvianers project, promoted thanks to the Sustainable Tourism Tax, the Calvià Town Council continues to commit to preserving the collective memory of the municipality and publicly recognising those who, from very diverse fields, have contributed to building today’s Calvià.