Cuba Post #4: Trinidad and back to Cienfuegos

A short distance outside Trinidad.

The following morning we filed onto the bus again and headed for the almost-coastal city of Trinidad, a drive of several hours from Cienfuegos. Declared a World Heritage Site in 1988, the city's history is as interesting as its city center is charming.  That history includes numerous pirate raids, as well as at times murderous rivalries among the city's wealthy economic elite.

When we returned to Cienfuegos later that afternoon, many members of our group chose to see the musical "Amigas," that was playing in town.  Since this was not part of the tour itinerary, we had to pay for the transportation and tickets out of our own pockets, but it was worth it.  For starters, the theatre itself was architecturally amazing.  Then came the also-amazing performance. I have scanned and uploaded the play program in hopes of giving a sense of the 'flavor' of the evening. Notice the advertisements from Air France, Ciego Mutero, and Havana Club.

 

 

 

 

Cuba Post #3: Cienfuegos



The Palacio del Valle

The following morning we left for the city of Cienfuegos, on Cuba’s southern coast. Nicknamed La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), the Cienfuegos city center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2005.  I was told that, because it was founded by French settlers in the early 1800s, Cienfuegos has a different "feel" from other Cuban cities.

Following lunch at the architecturally remarkable Palacio del Valle, we travelled a short distance to La Biblioteca Provincial de Cienfuegos, or the provincial public library, where we were greeted by its director, Alicia Martinez Leeuna.  After introductory comments and conversation – with Eric as translator – she turned us over to the rare books and archives department, where we saw books published as long ago as 1759, and decades-old Cuban newspapers and magazines.  

We then learned a bit about the library’s organization, circulation, and technical services. The provincial library – the library in which we were standing – is the headquarters library for the province.  It administers seven municipal libraries and 19 branch libraries.  The province as a whole has 265,230 card holders and owns a total of 344,030 items. The provincial library owns 122,600 items, has 3,300 card holders, circulated 43,624 items in 2012, and acquired 1,067 items in 2012.  Services for those with disabilities include seniors and the elderly.  The library services prisons, hospitals, remote villages and the business community. A bookmobile provides mobile services.

The provincial library has 61 employees, 11 of which are librarians with master's degrees, three of them department heads. At the time of our visit, 23 clerks worked there and 17 interns were doing national service there.

That evening we strolled about the Cienfuegos city center.  It wasn't hard to understand why it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lunch at the Palacio del Valle





At the provincial public library, 
This young communist group appeared
to be leaving an upstairs meeting.

The director of the archives and rare books department speaks to our group.













Circa 1759, not the oldest book I have ever seen,
but pretty darn old.






Hellen Keller was a socialist.

 

 






Che again. He's everywhere in Cuba. The title is
"My Dreams Do not Have Borders."





The complex, often conflictual relationship between
 Cuba and and the United States goes back as far
as at least the late 19th century. The title here is,
"The North American Military Intervention in the
Contest for Cuban Independence."

Two views of Cienfuegos from the roof the provincial public library.

Eric took a few moments to show and explain his ration card.

 

The sign says, "Union of Young Communists."



This and the four pictures below are views from my hotel room in Cienfuegos.

Strolling around Cienfuegos in the evening, we came upon this outdoor music ensemble.

 

 



Cuba Post #2: Casa de Las Americas, National Literacy Museum, and the National Library

Che Guevara's image in the lobby of Casa de Las Americas.

Wednesday, February 20, was for me the most interesting day of the trip. Casa de Las Américas was stop #1. Founded by the Cuban government in April 1959, just four months after the successful conclusion of the revolution, Casa de Las Américas works to develop and extend Cuban socio-cultural relations with the countries of Latin America, the Caribbean and the rest of the world. It promotes, researches, archives, supports, awards and publishes the work of writers, sculptures, musicians, and other artists and students of literature and the arts.

It was here that our group first encountered a Cuban library, housed in Casa de las Americas' bottom floor. While by all appearances it was professionally maintained, its technology seemed a throwback to the 1990s.  This observation should not be especially surprising to Cuba-watchers.  Cuba is in many ways a time capsule.

 

My own reading has convinced me that one cannot understand the historical context of libraries in revolutionary Cuba without understanding Cuba’s national mission to eradicate illiteracy. That is why the several hours we spent at Stop #2 – the National Literacy Museum – were pivotal. 

Before 1959 the official Cuban literacy rate was about 65%, with educational access in rural areas and a lack of instructors the main detriment. As a result, the Castro government dubbed 1961 the "year of education,” and sent "literacy brigades" out into the countryside to construct schools, train new educators, and teach the predominately illiterate Guajiros(peasants) to read and write. The campaign – which began on January 1 and ended on December 22, 1961 -- was "a remarkable success." By the campaign’s completion, 707,212 adults were taught to read and write, raising the national literacy rate to 96%.
 

The National Literacy Museum showcases that history. Though the museum is compact and modestly housed, its story is dramatic, even inspiring. There was Conrado Benitiz, a volunteer teacher who was brutally murdered by counter-revolutionaries during the campaign’s pilot stage. He became a martyr, his name a rallying cry, and before long all literacy instructors who left their homes to teach in rural zones were known as Conrado Benítiz brigadistas. There is the moving photo of the campaign’s oldest student, who, at 106 years of age, is seen learning to read and write. Remarkably, the youngest teacher was only eight years old! Several of the “literacy flags” that were raised in areas later declared free of illiteracy were displayed.
 

Stop #3 came after lunch and was a perfect wrap up to a most engaging day. This was the afternoon we spent with staff of the Cuban National Library, the Cuban equivalent of the Library of Congress. Though I did not take notes, my recollection of the initial stages of our hours- long group conversation focused on the wide gap that existed between Cuba’s urban and rural sectors at the time of the 1959 revolution. Such yawning gaps in education, health, and other factors -- though typical of many developing countries – were immediately targeted for remediation when the Castro government came to power. Cuban libraries were reorganized with that goal in mind as libraries and schools were built in rural areas, often in areas that hadn’t ever seen either. The Cuban National Library became the coordinator of this new centralized system.
 

Our conversations became increasingly open-ended and rambling as we talked about such subjects as the educational value of books like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and efforts to bring widespread broadband internet connectivity to Cuba. The afternoon evolved from cautious smiles to open laughter. I think everyone in the room realized the rather remarkable nature of what was happening. Here we were, citizens of the United States -- Cuba’s archenemy for more than 50 years -- conversing with citizens of Cuba. Before leaving we were given an in-depth tour of the library, and by the time we left the building it was too late for what would have been stop #4, the José Martí Museum.

 

 

Casa de Las Americas

 

1) A book display at the Casa de Las Americas library. 2) A view of the Casa de Las Americas library electronic card catalog. 3) Two books, one entitled (in translation), "The United States Against Cuba: The War Against Terrorism and the Case of the Five." The other is "Double Standard: Cuba, The European Union, and Human Rights." 4) The Casa de Las Americas facility containes a small art museum.

 

 

 

 

 

Cuban National Literacy Museum  

 



This plaque quoting Castro guards the entrance to the Cuban National Literacy Museum. It says, "Cuba will be the first country in the Americas that in a matter of months is able to say it does not have one illiterate."

The director of the Cuban National Literacy Museum.

The flag that was placed inside territories proclaimed free of illiteracy.



Group discussion after the tour.

These Brigadistas were murdered by counter-revolutionaries.

The oldest literacy student was 106 years old

 

"State enterprises" play a huge role in the Cuban economy. Run like traditional businesses, they are owned by governmental entities. The restaurant where we took lunch was state owned.

 

 

 Cuban National Library

The 16 members of our tour group are present here, along with some of the Cuban library staff. Most of the Cuban staff are on the left side.  I found Cubans to be easy to like, on the whole.  

 

 

The Braille room.



The electronic card catalog, or OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) of the Cuban National Library.  

The old-style card catalog seemed very much still used.

Card catalogs.

More card catalogs.

The two women on the left are librarians. One teaches at a library school in Wisconsin, while the other is the Director of Libraries at a communiity college in Washington state.

Our guide Eric, on the right, translated for a group of 24 during our meeting at the Cuban National Library. I bet he slept well that night.

The lady in blue to the left is the director of the Cuban National Library. Eric, in white, translates. .

I know what you're probably thinking....that we should have all gone to the beach, but really I think that all or almost all of us found this experience fascinating.

If I remember correctly, the lady in white, standing to the right, teaches high school Spanish in Missouri.