English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
Somos+, Eliecer Avila, 17 December 2015 — Today marks one year of the historic reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the governments of Cuba and the United States. At this point, although it’s true that there has been no notable change in the quality of life of Cubans nor the state of their rights, what has … Continue reading “One Year of Relations. Now What? / Somos+”
14ymedio, Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, Santiago, 23 July 2015 – The builders hurry to give the last touches to building projects, and the communal brigades obsessively clean the streets. A few days before the celebration of its fifth centennial, the city of Santiago is bustling. The imminent arrival of the delegations to the ceremony for the … Continue reading “Santiago Hides Its Indigents / 14ymedio, Yosmany Mayeta Labrada”
Rebeca Monzo, 7 July 2015 — The conversations and approaches plagued by enormous pauses with “our neighbor across the street” continue. As far as all Cubans, or rather the people, know this started on a very significant date on our religious calendar, December 17 of last year, Saint Lazarus Day, but I believe, and I don’t think … Continue reading “Pray to God But Don’t Stop Rowing / Rebeca Monzo”
By Rafael Alcides — It’s December 17th. The majority (and right now there are about 30 of us in line at the pharmacy) is celebrating the agreements between Raul and Obama; if there had been firecrackers, they would have lit them. Anyway, implicating everyone with her finger, a woman with a child in tow and a voice … Continue reading “Capitalism Straight Away, or the Chinese Method First? / Rafael Alcides”
Every year is a little more decadent than the last. Religiosity in Cuba has become a thing of barbarians, even to the point of a medieval superstition of the masses, repressive and cruel, out of pure fear of death in the midst of the apathy of a claustrophobic and inefficient country where poor animals and … Continue reading “The Last Corner / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo #Cuba”
Alamar – a pile of concrete blocks without order or agreement – is in this case the work, the artistic object, the clay and the wall on which one has molded and daubed. The artists can be you, me, or anyone else, although for the moment we are going to call them Juan Carlos, Amaury, … Continue reading “Pushing the Limits: Yoani Sanchez Interviews OMNI ZONA FRANCA”
Queen Street, our street of balconies and colonnades, of five peso pizzas and sewage running down the sidewalk. Avenue of shady deals and self-employment, with its furtive vendors advertising mattresses outside the stores and a Gothic church pointing to heaven. Along Queen Street children scamper to school in the morning, beggars stretch out their hands … Continue reading “The Queen in Queen Street / Yoani Sánchez”
They are already arriving and being noticed. Afternoon comes to Santiago de las Vegas, a town south of Havana, with low houses and dusty streets. The followers of Saint Lazarus move along the road, dressed in clothes made of jute bags and dragging huge stones. A person with a bunch of leaves goes before them, … Continue reading “Promise Keepers / Iván García”
Once again this year, our friend, who does not like to go backwards nor drive long distances, invited us to take her in her car to El Rincon and back again, to lunch in a very good paladar – private restaurant – in Santiago de las Vegas, as a gift for my birthday We left … Continue reading “The Road to El Rincon / Rebeca Monzo”
In the city of Havana, the number of mentally ill street people in their filthy and ragged clothing increases on a daily basis. The number of beggars is also going up — you can find them in just about any doorway lying on cardboard asking for change with their lost looks. And on any corner there are street vendors selling peanuts, cheap things, loose … Continue reading “Beggars and Mentally Ill Havanans”
14ymedio, Juan Izquierdo/Juan Diego Rodríguez, Havana, 6 November 2022 – Street Artists, fortune tellers, beggars, Tarot readers, palm readers, wizards, promise-keepers, pickpockets. Old Havana is constantly in turmoil and those who live there have to earn a crust by any means possible. Skill, cunning and a ’creole’ type of flair are, in the midst of … Continue reading “Victor, the Puppeteer who Raises a Smile on the Faces of Cubans in the Midst of Poverty”
For Cubans, as long as I can remember and from the history I learned, December 17th is a sacred day in which St. Lazarus calls his devotees to the shrine at El Rincon, on the outskirts of Havana, to make promises, to thank him for favors received or to ask him for health for next … Continue reading “#Cuba, Cubans celebrate the 17th of December. Or do they cry for it? / Angel Santiesteban”
Ivan Garcia, 28 October 2015 — The smell of pine and varnish permeates the narrow building where Idelfonso and his three assistants sculpt a collection of bowls, amulets and gadgets used in Santeria initiations rituals The studio is air-conditioned and the high quality of his work has allowed Idelfonso to renovate his house and buy … Continue reading “Santeria is Big Business in Cuba / Ivan Garcia”
Generation Y*, Yoani Sanchez, 25 March 2015 – “Peace broke out!” the old teacher was heard to say, on the day that Barack Obama and Raul Castro reported the reestablishment of relations between Cuba and the United States. The phrase captured the symbolism of a moment that had all the connotations of an armistice reached … Continue reading “The Day Peace Broke Out / Yoani Sanchez”
14ymedio, Havana, 17 December 2014 – A source from the US State Department has told 14ymedio that now begins the most difficult work, that there will be a lot of criticism, but also that many are feeling optimistic with this Wednesday’s achievement since the announcement of the resumption of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United … Continue reading “Reactions from Cuba to the Obama-Castro agreements / 14ymedio”