English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
Last Friday, January 7, in a simple and warm ceremony attended by her friends and family, Yoani Sánchez received the Prince Claus Award from Mr. Ronald Muijzert, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. After the words of Ambassador and his reading of the opinion of the jury that awarded the valued prize to our … Continue reading “A Memorable Evening / Miriam Celaya”
This is not the first time I felt like telling Mariela Castro* that she should have remained silent. It’s a strange reaction in me, because normally I encourage others to express whatever they want to say. With her, however, it is hard for me, and there is something called decency which — for those who, … Continue reading “The Missteps of the Princess / Claudia Cadelo”
In July of this year, a humble Cuban priest received a prize of international scope which, although it never appeared in the national press, became known to us with suspicious speed. Father José Conrado Rodríguez Alegría, pastor of the church “Saint Therese of the Child Jesus,” in Santiago de Cuba, was awarded the Prize of … Continue reading “Padre Jose Conrado: The Enormous Importance of Our Not Remaining Silent / Ernesto Morales Licea”
ALMOST AS GREY AS THE WINTER SEA Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo When we were so so poor that even our language knew misery. Not only the anthology of English songs confused us (My Underpants Fell Down… a Micheal Jackson title seemed to say, Happy Willy… in exchange for I’ll Be Waiting by a foreigner, I … Continue reading “NOVEMBER 6: LITTLE GREY HOUSE / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo”
The audience maintains a restless silence: it’s after six in the evening, night will fall in a few minutes. They’ve been waiting since five o’clock, waiting for the meeting’s hosts with discipline. The audience is hungry, they have headaches, they have family worries they can’t get out of their minds, even though the place is … Continue reading “Operation Blogger: Algorithm for a Disaster / Ernesto Morales Licea”
Franklin Brito. Source: Google Images The just will remain in memory, and will not fear the onslaughts of evil… On Monday, August 30, I received a heartbreaking text message from the author of Generation Y, Yoani Sanchez: “Now Chavez has his Zapata,” referring to the death while on hunger strike of the Venezuelan farmer Franklin … Continue reading “Requiem for Franklin Brito / Ricardo Medina”
Cubans who opine publicly regarding the Government, are condemned to suffer confiscation. The Customs Office for Post and Shipments (APE), an entity which is part of the General Customs Office of the Republic (AGR), has a filter for seizure for shipments abroad, applicable to dissidents. Within the last 2 months, this agency has confiscated 2 … Continue reading “Custom Filters / Laritza Diversent”
Many people want to do something to help the bloggers directly. The most important thing is to read them, talk about them, comment on their blogs, share their blogs with others, keep them IN THE PUBLIC EYE, which is a shield that helps to protect them. If you want to help with a donation, one … Continue reading “Direct Help to Bloggers”
Report from the 2010 Prince Claus Awards Committee June 2010 The Prince Claus Awards The Prince Claus Fund’s Awards Programme celebrates and brings to public attention outstanding achievements in the field of culture and development. Awards are given annually to individuals, groups, organisations or institutions in recognition of their contribution within the Prince Claus Fund’s … Continue reading “CLAUS’S CUBAN ROOM (BUT WITHOUT CLAUSTROPHOBIA) / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo”
Postal and Shipping Customs, part of General Customs of the Republic (AGR), imposed an administrative penalty against me, through Confiscation Order No. 978, issued on June 8, 2010, for a shipment sent from the United States of America. On July 13, I received an envelope sent by the Customs authority through the Cuban Postal Service, … Continue reading “Customs Back in Action / Laritza Diversent”
God created the world in six days, on the 7th, he tweeted. Last month, Yoani Sanchez, the creator of Generation Y, invited some of her friends to contribute to the diffusion of micro-blogging through the group known as “The First Tweet-up on the Island.” In regards to such a meeting, I asked when and where. … Continue reading “Twitterers in Cuba? / Miguel Iturria Savón”
Translating Cuba is a compilation of translations of Cuban bloggers, independent journalists and human rights activists, primarily writing from the island. The authors included here share a number of characteristics. They: Write from the island of Cuba.* Are independent, that is they are not paid by the Cuban government. Write under their own names. Their … Continue reading “About This Project”
How Did I Get Here? Photo: Claudio Fuentes Madan I was born in 1983, and was a happy child living in the socialist paradise until I was six, when the disintegration of the Soviet Union showed me that I had been raised in an atmosphere of privilege. Economic necessity, however, did not make my parents … Continue reading “Claudia Cadelo”
The calendar displays May 20, 2010. It’s half past ten in the morning. In my hometown of Bayamo it’s another hot muggy day that makes foreheads sweat and engenders moods very close to irritation. But that’s outside, in the unsheltered streets. In this office with its inlaid walls where I am now, an air conditioner … Continue reading “The Happiness of the Long Distance Runner”
To be a reporter in Cuba is something like trying to be a tightrope artist balancing on a loose rope in an old traveling circus. To begin with, when one is an independent reporter, in addition to the string of insults that—generously and without rationing—are hurled at us by those in the government and State … Continue reading “Chronicle about a chronicle”
