Cuba X-Ref 2016
Standing at the threshold of change
Standing at the threshold of change Cuba X-Ref 2016 Purpose When I was nine years old my Mima, (Grandma), would tell me stories about her life in Cuba. Now that we are in the cusp of change, I feel the urgency to retrace my Mima’s steps and the importance of connecting with the family that is still there to honor her and uphold the legacy of her life story and pass it down to future generations. My intent is to not only reconnect with family, but to put an image to the stories that she told me when I was a child. I want to bring them to life! As a Cuban American I feel a deep sense of responsibility to follow through with the changes that have started to take place. I will continue to explore various organizations in which to give of myself and maintain a strong connection with Cuba.
Location I propose to visit Havana - where she and my grandfather lived, Pinar Del Rio - which is the place she grew up as a child, and Vedado, which is the last city that she lived before she fled Cuba as Castro took Power in 1959.
El Malecon , Cuba
When people think of Cuba they have this image of a land frozen in time, a land full of nostalgia, from the architecture to the automobiles and the music. With the current travel restrictions lifted to US citizens and other developments that will follow, that image of Cuba will surely change. That clock which stopped when Fidel Castro took power is about to begin ticking again and change is eminent. I want to be there before that happens and I have high hopes that I will still get to see the Cuba my Mima experienced.
Documentation
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er fath d n ra
I plan to map out my Mima’s steps and interview family members and friends to fill in the blanks of her life as well as document my family history. I plan to keep a journal to include photos and what I’ve learned and inquired of on the trip. In addition to this, I will take short - clip interviews of the family members in Cuba as well as locals I come across with, in order to share them with the family of my generation and with my children so that the story continues to be told when I am no longer here.
Letters to my Mima
Querida Mima,
3/08/11
I wanted to write to you to tell you how much your life journey has impacted me. I promised you I would take you back to your beloved land, but now that you are gone, I feel even more inclined to go see where you came from in the hopes that I will find you there somehow. Mima, you would be so proud. Cuba is changingfrom the iron fist of Castro’s regime. The Government is slowly loosening It’s grip on the embargo and now we are able to visit without too many restrictions. I know that when I go, I will get to see your heart beating- from the oceans of the Malecon, watching the orange and pink colors of the sunset dancing in the skies, feeling the brisk air, to drinking el cafecito, (cup of coffee), after devouring a satisfying authentic Cuban dish at the house of La familia Safora; you haven’t seen them since you left so abruptly, unable to return to them. Mima, you have taught me that the Cuban culture is to be celebrated. Even in all it’s mystery there is much to see and still so much richness and beauty to be discovered. Tomorrow, I will write to you to tell you my hopes and dreams. Through this experience, I will get to see where you came from, and discover more about who I am. Con mucho Carino, Your loving Nieta
Nieves Aguilar Safora
Querida Mima,
4/5/11
Today I thought back to the stories you shared with me when I was only 9 years old. How I yearned to know about how you made it here to the United States, and where you came from. I wasn’t allowed to go there to visit, and you could not go back. You shared with me how your brother- in –law Lorenzo had helped Pipo (Dad), come to the United States to start a better life for the family. You lost everything once the government came in power which included Pipo’s job as he was working for Batista. After Communism came into effect, Cuba become a place frozen in time, vintage cars now line the streets, buildings from the Colonial Period and the Art Deco style have aged over the years, but they still have an allure to them. The once majestic Architecture still shows through the dilapidated Facade and I’m excited to see this timeless City of Havana Vieja, ( old Havana). I plan on going to el Vedado where you once lived.
Habana, Cuba
I remember you telling me about all the aristocrats and their mansions that resided there before the revolution, the Italian Mafia, the Mob leaders from the States, the Plantation owners and the Bacardi Family who lived there while Batista was in power. I remember you telling me how Havana was once considered the “Las Vegas of the Caribbean”. I want to explore Bacardi’s mansion, which was subdivided and given back to the people as a result of the Communist Government. All of those places you told me about “La Bodeguita Del Medio” en La Habana, a popular bar- restaurant that Ernest Hemingway frequented as well as the cafe El Floridita, and Hotel Ambos Mundos. I look forward to having a meal there and perhaps a Mojito too. I would like to sit for a moment in some of these places and imagine you sitting there with me and the conversations we would have about the current state of Cuba. I would absorb the sights and the sounds of the Cuban culture around me and embrace those moments . Love Always, Your Nieta
Querida Mima,
5/18/11
Today is my Birthday, so it’s only natural that I remember you today, and the great legacy you left behind. I’m getting so excited for this trip; I’m going to contact Roberto, Pipo’s cousin. I want to arrange staying with the family in Havana when I get there. I can’t wait to hear their stories, go out and see what they are like, and observe how they live their daily lives. The rest of my time in Cuba, I want to stay with local families to talk to them and learn more in depth about the places I’m planning to explore. You always told me how Cubans lack basic necessities due to the rationing. I want to help the people there in any way possible by bringing some essentials as a sign of solidarity and I would like to see how I can make a bigger impact in the future. I also plan on staying in Pinar Del Rio, when you were a child and your Uncle was kidnapped in El Campo (the countryside). I can hear your voice now, as you have told me this story too many times to count, but you never grew tired of telling me; A place where tall grasses grew and back then no-one saw or knew anything. Your father at the time was a Tabaquero – he made cigars in a factory, and that’s how he earned a living for the family. I am going to go to Partagras to do a tour of the Tabacco Factory there. I want to learn how Cigars are made, and picture my great grandfather making them. I will visit the caves in Vinales as well. I want to see the purity of the untouched ecosystems. As Cuba is one of the most untouched- unpolluted lands in the world. Cuba may change over time, as more and more tourists and businesses are allowed on the island. I’d love to see the natural beauty of the land. Another stop I will make is at Caguanes National Park. I have many plans to see so much more, but no matter what I see and experience, I know it will be amazing because it already lives deep down in my heart thanks to you. I saw Cuba through your eyes, and now you will see it through
mine, and I will feel you close to me and know you even more, I miss you so much Mima! Always, Your loving Nieta
Vinales Pinar del Rio
Domingo Aguilar
Gustavo Safora
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