full events guide

Transcription

full events guide

sep
2015
Believing in something
Unlocking the secret of the saints in Cuba
Pope Francis comes to Cuba
Sep 19-22
FAITH
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EDITORIAL
Photo by Alex Mene
You’ve Gotta Have Faith (Fe in Spanish)
A 1987 George Michael album that sold 25 million copies
Family in the exterior (a Cuban joke referring to the importance of remittances)
A description of Cuba’s religious ajiaco (stew)
While the Cuban state adopted ‘scientific atheism’ as the official doctrine in the 1976 constitution, in practice it is hard
to find many Cubans who don’t believe in ‘something’. This something may be God Almighty, the saints and virgins of the
Catholic Church, the many deities of African religion, or a number of superstitions and rituals. In short Cuba’s religious
beliefs may be something of an ajiaco (stew), but they certainly have faith ( fe).
The third visit of a Pope to Cuba within seventeen years certainly has highlighted the important role of the Catholic
Church in Cuba and comes at a time where the popular Pope Frances and the Catholic Church more generally has played
an important role in the normalization of relations between Cuba and the US.
While it is fair to say that Conner Gorry has never been a particular fan of the Catholic Church her insightful piece
on Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Cuba in 2012 did highlight the somewhat underwhelming nature of his visit. This time
it promises to be different, not only is Pope Frances from Latin America but his message of support for the oppressed,
criticism of the neoliberal policies, vanity and greed and general demeanor is likely to resonate strongly with the Cuban
population and promises to be a major event.
We have also included A stroll among some of Havana’s most beautiful churches by Ricardo Albero Perez as well as a
couple of articles on La Virgen de la Caridad and the pilgrimage of Our Lady of Regla. Recognizing the importance of
other religious beliefs Lydia Bell Unlocks the secrets of the Saints in Cuba, Ricardo Albero Perez has a conversation with
a Santero and looks in another piece at the role of the Sea and Rivers in Cuban religious beliefs.
If none of this is your thing then September is a beautiful month to visit Cuba (as long as you are willing to take the risk
of a hurricane appearing to disrupt your plans). Gone are the mad tourist crowds of the peak summer season, rooms
are reasonably prices and restaurants easy to get into. The weather is hot but without the sweltering temperatures of
summer, the sea is warm but not pea soup style, it refreshes. There remains a buzz on the street, a spring in the step and
a party around every corner. In short a great time to come and see what’s going on in this intriguing Caribbean nation.
Abrazos!
The LaHabana.com Team
photo by Alex Mene
SEPTEMBER 2015
[GOTTA HAVE
FAITH (FE) ELIE ]
Cuba and the Popes p6
Let Us Pray: The Pope comes to Cuba p9
Believing in something p12
Cuba’s religious ajiaco (stew) p14
A stroll among some of Havana’s most
beautiful churches p16
Praise be to Our Lady of Charity p20
The black Cuban Virgin dressed in blue p23
Unlocking the secrets of the saints in Cuba p25
A Conversation with a Santero p28
The Sea and Rivers in Cuban Religious Beliefs p31
Cubanos – Island Portraits by Lorenzo DeStefano p33
HAVANA LISTINGS
Visual Arts p37 — Photography p40 — Dance p41 —Music
p42 — Theatre p50 — For Kids p51
HAVANA GUIDE
Features - Restaurants - Bars & Clubs - Live Music Hotels - Private Accommodation p58
Cuba and the Popes
Papa Juan
Paulo II
by Victoria Alcalá
It is said that Máximo Gómez, who was from the
Dominican Republic, once said that Cubans either
come up short or go way over the top. Whether
it is myth or reality, this quote from Gómez, one
of the strategists of Cuba’s wars of independence
from Spain, has been confirmed in practice
more than a few times either because of the
odd characteristics of Creole idiosyncrasies or
because of sheer chance. Many people think that
the announced imminent visit to Cuba of Pope
Francis endorses the supposed statement by the
Generalissimo: from being one of the few Catholic
countries in Latin America (or classified as such)
that had never in all its history received a visit from
a Holy Father, Cuba has become one of the few to
have been honored by three consecutive visits in
just 17 years.
government. Reality belied such auguries: the
head of the Vatican was cordially received by
Fidel Castro, was free to move around the Island,
celebrated masses in Santa Clara, Camagüey,
Santiago de Cuba and Havana, had meetings with
intellectuals and with the “world of pain,” had two
encounters with Castro himself and never showed
the slightest intention of going beyond the pastoral
nature of his visit.
The arrival of the “Travelling Pope” John Paul II on
January 21, 1998, when the country was immersed
in a devastating economic crisis producing
deep repercussions on the lives and minds of its
citizens, was the reason for quite a few Apocalyptic
predictions. Among these was the one saying that
the sermons of the former Karol Wojtyla from
Poland, known for his anti-Communist stance,
would drive the nail into the coffin of the Castro
cuba’s digital destination
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6
Papa Benedict
XVI
Cubans enthusiastically gave a warm welcome to
a man who had also struggled for social justice. It
might have been a sign of the renewal of faith that
had been in the air for several years, or due to the
effects of publicity, or even out of simple curiosity,
but all the activities undertaken by the Messenger
of Truth and Hope were attended by enormous
crowds. When he took his farewell on the 25th
of January, he left a message that was open to a
number of interpretations: “May Cuba open itself
to the world and may the world open itself to
Cuba.” The lasting outcome of his mission was the
more fluid dialogue that subsequently took place
between the ecclesiastical and governmental
authorities, and December 25 was declared a
national holiday. At the Mass for his death in
2005, televised by Cuban TV in an unusual move,
President Fidel Castro was present.
The arrival of Benedict XVI on March 26, 2012,
preceded by the pardoning of almost 3,000
prisoners in December of 2011, did not awaken
too many expectations. This was no longer
the “first Pope in Cuba” nor did he possess the
communication talents of his predecessor who
had had a reputation as a poet and playwright.
Fidel Castro had retired from public life by then
and there was no media figure to replace him.
Furthermore, the fact that he was being presented
as “Pilgrim of Charity” when with the Island’s
faithful he commemorated 400 years since the
statue of Cuba’s Patroness, the Virgen de la Caridad
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7
Papa Francisco
del Cobre, Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, had
been found, earned him undisputed sympathies
that overrode his dour Germanic mien.
In his farewell message, addressing a broad
spectrum of interlocutors, he asked for a society to
be built where “nobody would be prevented from
participating in this exciting task due to limits on
their fundamental freedoms, nor exempted from it
by the neglect or shortage of material resources.
A situation that is aggravated when restrictive
economic measures imposed from outside the
country weigh negatively over the population.” As
the saying goes: “A word to the wise is enough.”
Now we have the announcement that from
September 19 to 22, Pope Francis, the first Latin
American pope, will be visiting Cuba. This is the
Pope who acted as mediator so that the words
of John Paul II and Benedict XVI could become
materialized—the
resumption
of
relations
between Cuba and the United States and with it,
the possibility of making the blockade/embargo
on the Island start to become more flexible and
eventually to disappear. Perhaps his insistence on
the necessity of attaining peace in the world, his
denunciations of oppression, the unsustainable
poverty of millions on the planet as a consequence
of neoliberal policies, vanity and greed, his aligning
with the most unprivileged, his vindication of
the rights of indigenous American peoples, the
beatification of Monsignor Arnulfo Romero and
his clear environmental awareness has had some
influence on erecting the altar in Revolution
Square next to the image of his compatriot Ernesto
Che Guevara.
Many Catholics and ecclesiastic authorities harbor
the hope that the Pope’s stay will contribute to
opening up the dialogue on Church participation
in education, the form to guarantee its systematic
presence in the media or the building of new
churches. Cuba Posible, the social platform
made up of Catholic intellectuals and laypersons,
has requested the canonization of Father Félix
Varela, the nineteenth century pioneer of Cuban
independence. We shall see if these hopes bear
any fruit, but, in any case, there is no doubt that
the visit is occurring at a very positive time for
relations between the Cuban government and the
Church, and that the masses to be celebrated in
Havana, in Holguín’s Calixto García Revolution
Square and at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Charity
of El Cobre in Santiago de Cuba shall be attended
by a large number of Cubans and foreign visitors.
The fact that he is a Latin American, his defense of
humility and equality and his acknowledged role
in the opening of a new era in relations between
Cuba and the United States have ensured great
sympathy from the people for His Holiness Pope
Francis and will surely be on display during his
visit when he will be meeting with young people
at the Félix Varela Cultural Center in Havana, with
priests, clergy and seminary students at Havana
Cathedral and with Cuban families at Santiago de
Cuba Cathedral. Maybe Santiago’s Conga de los
Hoyos will parade in front of him asking, as they
say they asked John Paul II before him: “Pope, my
brother, take me with you to the Vatican!” with all
the informality and candor you would use when
talking with a friend.
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8
Let Us Pray: The Pope comes to Cuba
by Conner Gorry
As anti-climactic as the Immaculate Conception—I’m sure you’ve already divined that the
religious importance of having his Holiness here held no interest for me and in this I’m not
alone: I’ve never seen an event so thinly attended in the iconic Plaza de la Revolución in
my 10 years here. In fact, we strolled into the central area just a few moments before the
9:30 mass kicked off and were going against the current of people streaming away from
the square. “I came and took the pictures I wanted; I’m going home,” a friend I ran into said.
The curiosity seekers and thin crowds were surprising but make sense: as a whole, Cubans
just aren’t that church-y. Religious and faith-bound, yes, but that’s different from kneeling
before a man in a dress and goofy hat while he proselytizes a doctrine peppered with sins
bound to doom your mortal soul.
I ventured once again outside my comfort zone
yesterday here in Havana: I went to mass. It was
as oppressive (and let’s be frank, hypocritical)
as I remember from Jesuit high school (see note 1),
although this one was presided over by the big
Catholic kahuna himself, Pope Benedict XVI. It was
also mercifully short.
around and stick around and only if you speak
Spanish—even a translator is no guarantee (see note
While I’m sure you’re oversaturated with ‘The Pope
in Cuba’ news up your way, one of the indelible
lessons I’ve learned in my 10 years of island
residency is that the picture you get of here from
there—especially when refracted through the lense
of reporters sent to cover such an event—does not
accurately reflect what we’re experiencing on the
ground. It’s not only that every media outlet from
The Militant to FoxNews has an agenda. The view
is skewed also because Cuba newbies rarely grasp
the complexities of our context (see note 2), nor the
attendant history influencing those complexities.
You don’t get this perspective unless you’ve been
What folks are saying: One of the pervasive myths
about Cubans is that they’re afraid to speak their
minds or offer opinions, and that self-censorship
is rampant. While it’s undeniable that people keep
their heads far below the parapet in the workplace
and have the tendency to adjust responses to what
they think people want to hear, I’ve always found
Cubans to be fiercely opinionated—once you get to
know them. Or more to the point: once they get to
know you.
3).
So let me tell you about the mass I attended
yesterday under a blazing sun, delivered by a froglike man in a funny hat.
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9
appreciated influx of tourist cash. There wasn’t
a hotel room to be found; paladares overflowed;
extra charter flights were added from Florida. And
all Habaneros (save for cops and docs), were given
a paid day off. This is the type of devotion we could
use more of and we thank you for supporting the
cause.
The Pope’s visit confirmed this impression.
“I’m so sick of this Pope.”
“Wasn’t he a Fascist?”
“I’ll come by your house once The Almighty Pope
leaves and things calm down.”
“Son of a b@&*h! The Pope took our Internet.” (see
note 4)
“Faith, hope, and peace: that’s what it’s all about.”
Rocking our rum-pork-party holy trinity
Another element piquing my interest was how
Cubans approached this whole Papal visit.
Essentially, yesterday felt much like hurricane
preparation and landfall: people laid in stores and
stayed home watching events unfold on TV, with
some chicharrones and a bottle of rum close at
hand. Except—and this was a rude awakening for
several of my unprepared friends—authorities
instituted a booze ban the evening before, which
lasted until the Pope Mobile and its cargo were
safely at the airport. So those who didn’t lay in
the ron were homebound with pork, friends, and
family, but no curda. In my decade here, I only
recall a few alcohol-free events: election days are
always dry and if I’m not mistaken, they did the
same during the Non-Aligned Summit here in
2006. Let me tell you: no rum makes Havana kinda
grumpy.
Revenue coup
The cleverness of Cuba never ceases to amaze me
and yesterday didn’t disappoint once I saw the
huge numbers of tourists in the Plaza for mass. My
first clue was the distinguished older gentleman of
means dressed in khakis, a pink Oxford, and penny
loafers, with not a gin and tonic in sight; clearly not
one of us. I started looking closely at the crowd and
their clothes and distinguishing different accents.
Nicaragua, Argentina, Chile, Panama, the DR, USA,
PR, Mexico, Venezuela—flags from all across Latin
America snapped in the wind whipping across the
Plaza and I realized that aside from the pride and
so-called “soft power” the Papal visit signified, it
also represented a hugely-needed and greatly-
The US matters less: After Juan Pablo II’s visit in
1998, Bill Clinton’s White House issued a press
release announcing new policies ostensibly
resulting from this historic trip. Most importantly,
the release approved people-to-people visits in
order to foment “regime change” and “promote
a peaceful transition to democracy”—concepts
mentioned no fewer than six times in the short
document. Blatantly threatening the national
sovereignty of an independent and peaceful
country thusly is absurd enough, but that Obama
maintains precisely the same policies and parrots
exactly the same rhetoric 14 years later, that’s just
loco. While the US is embarrassingly and unjustly
static in its policy, the world and, importantly, Cuba
has changed—is changing still. Raúl is a different
bird from his brother and that manifests itself in
many ways, including less of the ping pong policymaking that based decisions on what the bully to
the North was doing. That’s how it looks publically
anyway.
Holy jama!
As anti-climactic as the Immaculate
Conception
I’m sure you’ve already divined that the religious
importance of having his Holiness here held no
interest for me and in this I’m not alone: I’ve never
seen an event so thinly attended in the iconic Plaza
de la Revolución in my 10 years here. In fact, we
strolled into the central area just a few moments
before the 9:30 mass kicked off and were going
against the current of people streaming away from
the square. “I came and took the pictures I wanted;
I’m going home,” a friend I ran into said. The
curiosity seekers and thin crowds were surprising
but make sense: as a whole, Cubans just aren’t that
church-y. Religious and faith-bound, yes, but that’s
different from kneeling before a man in a dress
and goofy hat while he proselytizes a doctrine
peppered with sins bound to doom your mortal
soul. Cubans just aren’t down with that, but they
do love a spectacle: one of my favorite moments
was when a women who wanted to taste the host
tried to fake her way through the motions while
the priest held the wafer aloft. When he caught on,
he patted her on the head and returned the host to
his jaba. Though the Pope himself failed to inspire,
Cubans never do.
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PAGE 10
Notes
1. This, Fidel and I have in common, except those same Jesuits expelled me my junior
year (another story entirely!)
2. A simple example: journalists arrive here and compose some flaccid or purply prose
(even leading with it occasionally, dios mío) about all the old cars rumbling about. For
those of us with continuity here, that’s ‘dog bites man.’ The more compelling, ‘man bites
dog’ story is the unbelievable amount of new cars on the road and what that means for
traffic, transport options, pollution, etc.
3. The press conference by Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez upon the Pope’s arrival is case
in point: his response to an English-speaking reporter about “freedom of consciousness”
was elegant and sweeping in the original Spanish, mangled and less inspired in English.
4. Cuba has limited bandwidth due to the US embargo-cum-blockade which prohibits
the island from connecting to underwater cables running nearby. Instead, the connection
for the entire island is provided by a sole, slow Italian satellite. This bandwidth was
prioritized for visiting press so they could report live from Cuba. It’s back now, thankfully,
obviously.
Conner Gorry is one of the most insightful writers about Cuba. Author of Here is Havana blog
(http://hereishavana.wordpress.com/), she also puts together the Havana Good Time iPad/
Phone/Touch application http://itunes.apple.com/app/havana-good-time/id385663683?mt=8
(Android version) http://sutromedia.com/android/Havana_Good_Time - essential guide to
What’s On in Havana.
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PAGE
11
Believing in something
Photos by Y. del Monte
by Margaret Atkins
It can be said with almost absolute certainty
that most Cubans believe in “something.” This
“something” can be God Almighty, the saints and
virgins of the Catholic Church, the many deities of
African origin, or a number of superstitions. And
this religiosity is patently obvious. You don’t need
a sharp eye to see it.
Statues of Our Lady of Regla, Our Lady of Charity
of El Cobre, Our Lady of Mercy, Santa Barbara or
Saint Lazarus, for instance, are sometimes built
in gardens or inner courtyards, where they hold a
place of honor and our surrounded by flowers and
all sort of offerings. Some of these offerings are
related to the strong religious syncretism between
saints of the Catholic Church with orishas of the
Yoruba pantheon. For example, it is common to
see squashes, sunflowers and honey at the foot of
small home altars dedicated to Our Lady of Charity,
although these are things commonly offered to
its African counterpart, Oshun. Offerings such as
dead hens and fruit can be found under ceiba trees
(considered sacred by practitioners of the Yoruba
religion), along river banks, and at cemeteries.
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PAGE 12
a red ribbon tied somewhere to some part of the
car. A red ribbon is even tied to an infant’s clothes,
along with a gold charm known as the eyes of Saint
Lucy and a jet stone attached to the baby’s clothes
with a small safety pin.
You would be hard put to go out on the street and
not see at least a man, a woman or a child dressed
in white from head to foot, and wearing necklaces
of colored beads. They are initiates in the Yoruba
religion and will have to dress like this for a whole
year symbolizing their ritual birth. It is also very
common for Catholics to wear gold medallions
bearing the image of a saint or virgin, or a crucifix.
Also of gold or wood. If you keep looking, you will
find some men or women with rosaries round
their necks.
All in all, religions and beliefs are patently obvious
in Cuba—mixed, melted and stirred in an island
where despite the many lessons in Marxism,
atheists exist in smaller numbers and most people
prefer to believe in “something.”
Above the front door (normally kept wide open to
alleviate the heat) in many houses, there are small
curtains made of jute, pictures of tongues with
knives stuck in them or of eyeballs hit by lightning,
all of them intended to protect the house and the
people who live in it against malicious gossip, the
evil eye and all sorts of negative influences. Many
doors show small stickers that read: “May the Lord
bless this home,” or “Christ, this is Your Home,”
declaring the Christian belief of the people who
live there. And inside, hanging above the door are
blessed palm leaves brought from church on Palm
Sunday and kept for the whole year for the same
preventive purposes; altars in African or Catholic
style; clay pots with objects linked to the Yoruba
religion. And very frequently, occupying a special
place where it can be seen easily is the muchworshiped picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Taxi drivers also carry symbols and charms in their
cars. Rosaries or crucifixes hang from the rearview
mirror, or a picture of their saint of choice is fixed
onto the windshield. Privately-owned trucks that
travel from Havana to the eastern provinces usually
display painted versions of Our Lady of Charity,
patron saint of Cuba. Drivers pray to her for a safe
journey. Another frequent symbol of precaution is
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PAGE 13
Cuba’s religious ajiaco (stew)
by Victoria Alcalá
When the Cuban State adopted “scientific
atheism” as official doctrine, sanctioned in the 1976
Constitution, many believed that religious practice
was on the wane in the country. Churches were
practically empty, generations of children were not
baptized, external attributes such as chains with
crosses or Santeria beads disappeared—all this
seemed to indicate that religion was something
for the “old folks.” However, some news travelled
by word of mouth about Olympic medals or name
tags of internationalist veterans being deposited
at the sanctuary of the Virgin of Charity at El
Cobre. Anecdotes about the Rincón procession on
St. Lazarus’ Day, birthday parties where songs or
drums weren’t exactly playing salsa, or the Mass
for John Lennon at a church in Santiago de las
Vegas sowed seeds of doubt. Could a Mass for the
most rebellious of the Beatles have been attended
by “old folks? That’s weird!
The decision of the Cuban Communist Party
Fourth Congress in 1991 to eliminate restrictions
to Party membership for believers from its
statutes and the constitutional reform of 1992 that
eliminated mention of scientific atheism in the
Republic’s Magna Carta and which established a
lay State, confirmed what isolated information had
hinted. Religion for Cubans managed to survive the
period of all kinds of restrictions and had gained
unexpected strength with the dramatic material
conditions of life imposed by the so-called “Special
Period,” one of the worst crises Cuba had ever lived
through in all of its history.
Between then and today, the creation of the
Yoruba Society of Cuba, the official visits of
Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI and His All
Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I,
the intense pastoral and social work of the Martin
Luther King Center, the building of an Orthodox
Greek church and a Russian Orthodox church in
Old Havana, growing numbers of children being
baptized, church weddings, the common sight on
the streets of “iyabós” (initiates into the Yoruba
religion) in their white clothing and attributes,
the multi-colored caps of Rastas, the procession
of the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre throughout
all of Cuba, the card-readers at their tables in
Cathedral Square, persons manifesting religious
beliefs elected as deputies, the announcement
of the building of the first Catholic church since
1959 (Assumption Church in El Cobre, Santiago de
Cuba), the new vitality of the synagogues added to
other actions and presences confirm that around
400 religions and religious institutions are able to
coexist throughout the Island.
Among those having the majority of practitioners
are the Roman Catholic Church, which arrived on
the Island along with the Spanish conquistadors,
and the religions of African forefathers that were
brought by black slaves from the northern Gulf of
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PAGE 14
Photo by Alex Mene
Evangelical, Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal and
Methodist churches. Other cultures contributed
Judaism, Islam and Buddhism and at the end of
the twentieth century one could see Orthodox
churches that were the legacies of ancient
Christian communities.
Guinea all the way south to the Congo River and
which were maintained as part of a cultural and
spiritual resistance process. The Regla de Ocha
or Santeria comes from the Yoruba, the Regla de
Palo Monte originated among the peoples of the
Congo and the Secret Abakuá Society came from
the region of Calabar. At the end of the nineteenth
century and during the twentieth century,
Protestant missionaries were arriving in Cuba
especially from the United States and founded
All these practices, as most things in Cuba, are
not “pure.” They are part of that famous and allencompassing “ajiaco” mentioned by ethnologist
Fernando Ortiz. In that “stew,” everything gets
mixed up together and almost everything fits.
That’s why it’s not unusual for a Catholic to have
their cards read to see what the future has in
store; for a Rasta to be baptized; to worship the
Orisha Oshun behind an image of the Caridad del
Cobre; to interconnect spiritualism and Santeria;
for a Buddhist to undergo a “cleansing” and so on.
The recently deceased Catholic priest Monsignor
Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, a man who was wise
and very Cuban (he was the great-grandson of
the Father of the Nation), defined it precisely
with a modicum of remorse: religion for Cubans
is “diffused” and that’s how it’s understood on the
streets of the Island.
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PAGE 15
A stroll
among some
of Havana’s
most
beautiful
churches
By Ricardo Alberto Pérez
photos by Y. del Monte
Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón,
Calle Reina, La habana
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PAGE 16
Catedral de la Habana,
Habana Vieja
photo Jorge v. gavilondo
For hundreds of years, Havana abounded with
religious architecture, specifically Catholic. Most
of the original churches have stood the test of
time, while others have undergone reconstruction
works due to the lashing of numerous hurricanes.
While they exhibit an impressive diversity of styles,
their facades and interiors have witnessed stories
that are an important part of Cuban idiosyncrasy
and the paths our people have followed along the
routes of Christian faith and complex syncretic
processes.
The narrow, shady Cuba Street in Old Havana is
the perfect start for a small tour of some of the
most prominent churches in the city. I begin at
the Iglesia y Convento de la Merced (1755-1863)
on Cuba between Merced and Paula streets.
Construction on the church started in 1755 and by
the end of 18th century, the church and part of the
cloisters were completed. But it wasn’t completely
finished until January 31, 1867, when the new
church as it stands today was inaugurated. This
splendid complex is considered to be one of the last
examples of the transition from Havana Baroque
to Neoclassicism. Among its many highlights, the
interior is noted for a number of lovely murals
painted by outstanding 19th-century Cuban artists
such as Esteban Chartrand and Melero. It is also
famous for its wonderful celebrations of Virgen de
la Merced [Our Lady of Mercy] every September
24th. The church is significant both for Catholics
and for practitioners of Afro-Cuban syncretism—
Our Lady of Mercy is syncretized with the African
deity Obatalá.
As we continue along Cuba Street towards Obispo,
just about a hundred meters from the previous
church, between Acosta and Jesús María streets,
is one of the most unique churches in Havana: the
Iglesia del Espíritu Santo [Church of the Holy Spirit]
(1638-1661). Built in 1638 as a chapel for freedmen,
it is one of the oldest in Havana. Countless
modifications, additions and reconstructions
have been inflicted on the church, but it still
shows features of its original architecture. It is
precisely its simplicity what makes this building
so interesting, considered to be one of the jewels
of Cuban religious architecture. The interior
holds several crypts, including the one for Bishop
Gerónimo Valdés, found in 1936, and others that
were discovered in 1953.
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Iglesia de La Merced,
La Habana
We move forward towards the intersection of
Cuba and Amargura streets to another legendary
building: the Iglesia de San Agustín [Church of
St. Augustine] (1608-1663) or San Francisco El
Nuevo, as it is also known. During the first half
of the 20th century (1925 and 1947), it was the
object of substantial rebuilding efforts. It was built
in Renaissance style, but because it hosted the
Augustine order’s motherhouse, it has Mexican
influences. The decorations on the dome and its
stained glass windows bear witness to the artistic
merit this church has held on to over the centuries.
Going along Cuba St. we reach Empedrado St.
and two blocks from the sea, on a large square
surrounded by marvelous colonial buildings, is
the Catedral de La Habana [Cathedral of Havana]
(Calle Empedrado, No. 158, e/ Mercaderes y San
Ignacio). For any visitor to be able to claim to have
visited Cuba they must have walked along the
cobblestones paving this square. Construction
began in 1748 and concluded in 1777 but numerous
additions and changes have been made over the
years. When the Diocese of Havana was created in
1788, the church became a cathedral. Around 1814,
the interior was modified in order to comply with
the incipient neoclassical style. Restorations took
place between 1946 and 1950. It’s Baroque façade
is one of the most beautiful in all of Latin America.
Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón,
Miramar, La Habana.
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Iglesia de San Francisco de Asis,
La Habana
Pope John Paul II visited the cathedral in January
1998. It is classified as a National Monument and
is considered one of Havana’s most prominent
buildings.
We leave the Cathedral heading south toward
Compostela between Cuarteles and Chacón, to
the Iglesia del Santo Ángel Custodio [Church of
the Holy Guardian Angel] (1690-1810-1870), also
known as the Iglesia del Ángel [Church of the
Angel]. One of Havana’s most illustrious sons and
the Hero of the independence of Cuba, José Martí,
was baptized here. The church has also taken
its place in literature, serving as the backdrop
for the great 19th-century Cuban novel by Cirilo
Villaverde, Cecilia Valdés o La Loma del Ángel.
When the church became damaged, primarily by
a hurricane in 1846, its façade and rear section
were demolished in 1848 and it wasn’t until 1866
that reconstruction was underway. At that time,
it took on its present Neo-Gothic guise. In 1923,
additional reconstruction gave the church a new
entrance doorway on Monserrate St. This second
entrance is oddly placed next to the main altar. It is
one of the best examples of religious architecture
in the 19th century and its location on a hill gives it
a very special appearance.
As we leave Old Havana we enter what could
be called the heart of Centro Habana, just a few
steps from the intersection of Reina and Carlos
III avenues, specifically at 461-463 Reina Avenue
between Belascoaín and Gervasio streets. This
is the location of what many Havana residents
consider to be the grandest church in Havana: the
Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús [Church of
the Sacred Heart of Jesus] (1922).
This architectural jewel stands out not only
because at 74 meters it is the tallest church in
Cuba but because of the many exquisite details
on its façade and interior. A sculpture of the Heart
of Jesus that presides over the entrance to this
authentically neo-Gothic church, 169 beautiful
stained glass windows and an altar decorated with
filigree-work are some of the outstanding features.
Its impressive 50-meter tower is topped by a
bronze cross and has 32 typically Gothic gargoyles
and many sculptures of religious figures and
symbols along with some non-religious carvings
such as the coats of arms of Havana and Spain. In a
nutshell, it is one of the loveliest churches in Cuba
and all of the Americas.
We shall conclude our tour of some of the most
remarkable religious buildings in Havana a few
kilometers from where we started, in the Miramar
area, at the magnificent Fifth Avenue and 82nd
St. This is the location of the Iglesia de Jesús de
Nazareno [Church of Jesus of Nazareth] or Iglesia
de Jesús Miramar. Construction on this church,
the largest and most monumental in Havana and
all of Cuba, began in 1947 and the inauguration
took place in 1953. It has the second-largest dome
in Cuba, next to the dome of the Capitolio de La
Habana [Havana Capitol Building]. With strong
Byzantine-Romanesque stylistic influences, the
14 murals inside show the Via Crucis or Stations
of the Cross. An additional feature of interest in
the Church of Jesus of Miramar is a replica of the
Lourdes Grotto honoring Our Lady of Lourdes.
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Praise be to Our Lady of Charity
(La Virgen de la Caridad)
by Lucia Lamadrid
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While many Cubans are by nature somewhat
skeptical when it comes to religion, it doesn’t take
much of a mishap before “Our Lady of Charity”
(often known by the more intimate “Cachita”) is
invoked for believers and non-believers alike.
The church is well aware that while some people
venerate the Marian image of Our Lady of Charity,
others worship Ochun, the Orisha of love and
money, the river Goddess, who always wears
yellow and still others manage to worship both
the Christian virgin and the goddess of the Yoruba
religion syncretized in one.
The image itself is syncretic—part of a process that
has occurred through the centuries. The white
man, the black man and the mulatto that lie at
her feet in a small boat is a reminder of the three
men—one black and two Indians--who found a
small wooden statue of the Virgin Mary holding
the child Jesus in her arms while sailing around
the Bay of Nipe in the early 17th century. The
statue was fastened to a board with an inscription
saying “I am the Virgin of Charity.” This is the same
diverse, multiracial and devout Cuban people that
now make the pilgrimage, rain or shine, and adorn
the road with yellow sunflowers, calling out to her
over and over: “Praise be to Our Lady of Charity!”
For the Catholic world as a whole, September
8 marks the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
She is venerated in many countries, cities and
regions as their patroness, usually under a specific
title or apparition. This is the case of Cuba, which
celebrates that day as the feast day of Our Lady of
Charity.
Every year, several thousands of Cubans of all ages,
races and social position accompany the statue in
the traditional procession that takes place in the
working-class neighborhood of Centro Habana.
This tradition was taken up again after the historic
visit of Pope John Paul to Cuba in 1998. The statue
of the Virgin is carried on a platform followed by
a throng of people that carry candles or flowers—
sunflowers mostly. Many wear yellow, which is
the color that identifies Our Lady of Charity. The
people walk solemnly for several blocks around
Nuestra Señora de la Caridad Parrish in Centro
Habana. The procession is headed by Jaime Ortega,
Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Havana.
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This past September 8, 2013, was no different
in Havana. During the procession, the people
sang hymns, prayed and shouted Viva! to Cuba’s
Patroness and the Church. Other people followed
the procession from the rooftops and porches of
their homes. The procession ended at the Parrish
of Our Lady of Charity where the Archbishop said
Mass and made an appeal for peace around the
world, in particular Syria.
Although the principal celebration on this day
takes place in Santiago de Cuba at the Virgin’s
National Sanctuary, this beautiful and moving
demonstration of faith takes place all over Cuba.
Our Lady of Charity is a symbol of identity for
Cubans wherever they may be, and her significance
transcends the Catholic faith to the culture and
history of Cuba.
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photos by Alex Mene
The black Cuban Virgin dressed in blue
(The pilgrimage of Our Lady of Regla)
by Victoria Alcalá
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Our Lady of Regla has an illustrious history that
goes back to Saint Augustine (354–430), one of
the early Fathers of the Church who, it is said, had
received heavenly instructions to carve a statue of
a black virgin in wood and to place it in his chapel
in Hippo, present-day Annaba in Algeria. Thirteen
years after the death of St. Augustine, when Hippo
was attacked and destroyed by the Vandals, the
monks fled to Spain and took the statue with
them. They placed it on a spot that looked out
to sea, and this is where the devotion began. In
time, Our Lady of Regla became the patroness of
mariners. This is why it was also adopted as the
patron saint of the quaint village of Regla, located
on the northeastern side of Havana’s Bay in a preColumbian Indian settlement that would later be
populated by fishermen and sailors.
On the Virgin’s feast day, September 7, the faithful
come to Cuba’s National Sanctuary of Our Lady
of Regla, continuing a tradition that began in the
17th century. The image that we see today is an
exact copy of the head of the original statue. It
was brought from Spain in 1696 by Sergeant Major
Don Pedro de Aranda y Avellaneda and placed
on the altar of the church that substituted the
original wooden structure, which was destroyed
by a hurricane. Today’s Sanctuary, a modest and
humble building erected from 1811 to 1818, is far
from majestic. Its altars are not filled with gold
or other material riches. It stands on a small rise
fittingly facing the sea.
The statue of the Black Madonna, as it is also known,
has lived an adventurous life. When Havana was
captured by the British in 1762, it was taken to the
church of the small town of El Calvario, and then
to a sugar mill in nearby Managua. This was done
to prevent the statue from falling in the hands of
the subjects of “treacherous Albion.” In 1958, it
was abducted, with the priest’s knowledge and
consent, by young revolutionaries who opposed
Batista’s dictatorship.
As with Our Lady of Charity, devotion for Our Lady
of Regla is part of this wonderful potpourri, which,
according to the Cuban scholar Don Fernando
Ortiz, is the basis of the Cuban nationality. The
Virgin of Regla is syncretized with the Orisha
Yemayá, owner of the moon, the seas and
everything that lives there. She is vested with
marine symbols, such as shells, conches, anchors,
boats, corals, seaweeds and starfish. And her color,
of course, is blue like the sea. While the pilgrimage
of the patron saint of Cuba, Our Lady of Charity,
is filled with yellow, the pilgrimage of Our Lady of
Regla, the Cuban black virgin, is blue, as befits the
Queen of the Seas.
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photos by Humberto Mayol
Unlocking the secrets of the saints in Cuba
by Lydia Bell
Rain is beating down on steaming asphalt in
central Havana, a hard-bitten patch of town. I
am looking for a street-corner rumba and know
my destination will call me by the 12/8 slap of a
palm on the Cuban batá and cajones—wooden
boxes—and that distinctive clave sound. Finally, I
find Callejón de Hamel, a graffiti-plastered alley
where, at noon on Sundays, Havana’s Afro-Cuban
community worship their gods with bewitching
dance and song.
Four centuries ago, African slaves brought to Cuba
by the Spanish were forbidden to practise their
native religion. They resisted by fusing African
deities with Catholic saints, worshipping them like
the Spanish did, but imbuing them with their own
gods’ characteristics. So the super-macho African
God, Shango, became Santa Barbara, a woman
clothed in the red colour associated with her fiery
African counterpart; Oya, the undergoddess of the
Niger River, became the Virgin of Candelaria.
Rumba is more than music and dance—it is the
expression of Cuba’s creole identity. The music
is a hybrid, blending Congolese percussion and
flamenco-style soul-baring singing in the Yoruba
language. It is rhythmic, dark, intense—one of the
island’s first and enduring sounds, and one that has
changed little since the colonial era. I see a man
and a woman doing a rooster-hen dance. Soon,
other dancers join. At some point, it becomes a
drum-fuelled marathon with spectators piling
in. The air is thick and soupy, the beat relentless.
Finally, I’ve had enough and elbow my way out of
the tiny corridor and head toward the work of
local painter Salvador González Escalona, who
started plastering the walls of this back alley with
vivid murals in 1990, bringing a sacred space to
this poorest part of town.
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need to be placated through gifts or, in extreme
cases, animal sacrifice to keep evil from the doors.
There’s a common phrase in Cuba: “Voy a tener que
ir a Guanabacoa” or “I need to go to Guanabacoa.”
But what it actually means is: “I am in trouble; only
a priest can save me.”
This township in eastern Havana, once a major
trading centre for slaves, has a marked Afro-Cuban
musical and cultural identity strongly associated
with Santería; the secret brotherhood of Abakuá
and Palo Monte, a nature-worship cult. It’s one
of those barrios where the potencia—literally,
spiritual potency--is strong. I go there with Tomás,
a Santería practitioner who runs grassroots
Santería tours in Havana for the uninitiated.
The Museo Histórico de Guanabacoa tells a
compelling story of the evolution of Afro Cuban
culture. Here, clever, youthful guides will prep
you on the main deities, from maternal Yemaya to
firebrand Shango. My guide, José, tells me that you
cannot understand Cuba until you know Santería,
which is present in the way Cubans eat, dress,
speak, think and act. He also tells me Santería,
because of its natural-born secrecy, could never
be suppressed during the austere Communist
years in the way Catholicism was.
Over time, they genuinely integrated customs and
beliefs from the Spanish. Some white Creoles—
native born Cubans of European descent—
adopted African practices too, and continue to
do so. Santería is growing in every sector of the
community, more publicly so since the mid-1990s,
as the government started to show a new tolerance
towards religion.
In many Cuban houses, eerie, unblinking dolls form
a mini altar laced with fruit and tobacco offerings,
icons of saints, crosses and seemingly random
objects. You might think this is a deep devotion
to Catholicism. But these are in fact marks of
Santería, still one of the best-kept secrets here.
Next stop is the Babalawo, the high priest. Tomás
takes me to the top guy in his neighborhood,
Diez de Octubre. The Babalawo is a tall white
man in his sixties, who is quietly dignified. I ask
for a consultation and I offer him some money.
(He makes the sign of the cross with it before
pocketing it.) He says he will consult Olorun—the
divination aspect of the great divine entity—about
my past, present and future, and leads me into a
bare kitchen.
He begins by writing details of my name and date of
birth, then embarks on a ritual of chanting in Yoruba
(invoking his ancestors to clarify his mind, Tomás
advises), splashing water from half a coconut shell,
tapping the table, clicking his fingers and throwing
a chain hung with discs of coconut rind on to the
You can spend weeks in Cuba, learn about the
Revolution, cigars, the proportion of Cadillacs to
Chevrolets, and how to live on ration books, and
yet learn nothing about Afro-Cuban culture. This
is due not to the lotus-eating indolence of tourists,
but the secrecy in which Santería is cloaked.
It was born in Nigeria, along the banks of the
Niger River, among the Yoruba people who had a
pantheon as rich as the Ancient Greeks. In Cuba,
Photo
Alex
Mene remain. Santería says the orishas
aboutby25
deities
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PAGE 26
table. He keeps telling me to keep my open palms
towards him. I am slightly distracted by the sound
of a squealing pig somewhere in the house – Tomas
tells me that there is an initiation ceremony going
on as we speak, when the faithful make official
their association with Santería through days of
intense ritual and animal sacrifice. Then his wife
bursts in and makes everyone coffee, he lights up
a cigarette and starts chatting with Tomás . The
famous Cuban pragmatism is not diluted by any
magic at work, and it puts me at ease.
He tells me (Tomás is available to translate for
anyone who cannot speak Spanish) that I am in a
state of positive evaluation, that I have been blessed
with great tranquility in my relationship, gifted to
me by the orisha Oya. I’m feeling quite relieved.
Then he announces: “until the point of marriage.
The trouble is you are very bossy. You seem quiet
now but you could change suddenly and become
like a hurricane, doing something completely out
of character. You are way too demanding and your
husband knows this.”
He leans forward: “You better watch out because
you could become demented.”
Later that evening, slightly perturbed by this
onslaught, I read up on Oya. She is a warrior
woman who raises tornadoes and hurricanes, and
who guards the underworld.
Ever since meeting Tomás, I can’t help noticing
motifs of Santería everywhere I go: discarded
herbs on street corners; “initiated” Cubans wearing
white from head to toe (even their earrings, shoes
and umbrellas); strange artefacts and animal bones
in the surf.
One day, crossing the Rio Almendares, I look down
the lush, iridescent green vista of palm smothered
banks. On a boulder at the river edge is a smiling
woman about to chop a chicken’s head off into the
swirling emerald waters. Santería is everywhere, if
you choose to see it.
TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
Getting there
Lydia Bell travelled with Esencia
Experiences (01481 714 898;
esenciaexperiences.com), which offers
a seven-day Santería-themed holiday
to Cuba from £1,590pp, including Virgin
Atlantic flights from Gatwick, B&B at
the Saratoga Hotel in Havana, an expertled half-day Santería tour with a visit
to a rumba and the Museo Histórico de
Guanabacoa.
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Conversation with a Santero
by Ricardo Alberto Pérez
Since the days when slaves courageously decided
to hold on to their beliefs from their native lands,
the practice of African religions in Cuba has
come to make up a complex system of spirituality
that has resulted in different practices, which
spontaneously make up the dialectic body of said
system. When those of us who are not directly
involved in these practices approach them,
we undergo an experience that can enrich the
projection of our own manner of thinking.
He confesses that in 2009 he began to have a better
understanding of the religion, via the natural
channels of a person who has the regulatory saints
within the Yoruba beliefs. And so he began his
quest for the path that would allow him to proceed
through religious life on his own.
One swelteringly hot August morning, we visited
the home of Mardiel Miranda Abreu, a young man
who is dedicated to the Yoruba religion holding
the rank known as oriaté. The oriaté specializes in
reading and interpreting the Oracle of the Diloggún
(cowrie-shells) and looks after finding out which
taboos believers shall be subject to for the rest of
their lives after their initiation.
Mardiel started along this path on November 21,
2008, the day when he “made the Saint” in the
Lawton district of Havana. As of that moment, he
became a recipient for the teachings of a person
who had considerable experience in the religion.
The way in which he explains the process taking
him on the search for the logic of the religious
system he was about to espouse is very attractive.
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up these animals according to the demands of the
offering is a decisive step. And so he tells us how
Santeria relies strongly on mathematics, especially
when you are dealing with bones and vertebrae in
both humans and animals.
The rigor and difficulties of the learning process
seem to be the definitive proof of the perseverance
of individuals when it comes to their aspirations.
In addition to his knowledge about the animals
offered to the santos, Mardiel became a herbalist,
which is the first thing that needs to be learned.
He believes that his master or tutor is a tough, fair
person, and in this aspect contributed much to
Mardiel’s discipline and dedication.
When he started the demonstration of the Oracle
of the Diloggun, Mardiel explained: “In each
consultation, there must be a moyugba. In this way,
the dead are called upon by holding a gourd filled
with water, taking a path (Elegguá, Ogún, Oyá, etc.),
and then proceeding to the consultation.” Mardiel
shows us some cascarilla and goes on explaining:
“You take the shell in your hand. You clean your
hands with cascarilla. For this, you use a white
piece of cloth to purify the shell of any sin we might
have. Elegguá is then asked for his blessing. His
shells are the only ones that can be used during an
Itá. We also ask for stability, health, strength and a
long life. The dead are blessed and afterwards all
the living.”
A transcendental moment in the conversation was
when he explained all that he had to give up in
order to dedicate his life to that experience. His
words gave out how all true believers succumb to
that experience called “renunciation,” something
that consolidates the individual’s attitude on their
journey. He says that the most precious thing he
found after making his decision was tranquility
and an appreciable improvement in his health.
Health was what he was looking for from the santo.
While Mardiel is throwing the shells, he shows us
what they represent and what each odún is saying.
The prophecy is then revealed to him since the
shells grant him the possibility of unraveling the
problems each person has.
Mardiel argues that what he does with the cowrieshells is not fortune-telling. That’s not what it
signifies for him. Rather, it is an interpretation of
the message that is conveyed to him through the
shells. So he emphasizes how we should take care
of ourselves and supports it by saying: “They speak
to us; all we do is transmit the wise voices coming
from our conversations with the shells.”
Mardiel teaches us that some shells speak and
others do not. To have them speak, you must break
them in the back. Shells need blood in order to
speak; otherwise, it is just the word of water. Santos
do not speak unless they have received blood. At
this point, he tells us about the ritual of sacrificing
animals and how learning the right way to open
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To skillfully master the 16 signs the shells can
convey, the oriaté must have first gone through
a deeply rigorous experience and dedication that
would open the doors of wisdom for him and
grant him the necessary peace to transmit all the
messages. Santeros or oriaté like Mardiel are only
authorized to read the first twelve of the 16 signs;
the remaining four are the exclusive domain of
babalawos.
Sixteen more signs stem from each one of the
primary 16 signs, totaling the 256 odún or odus
of the Diloggun. As we delve more deeply into
this system, we understand the beauty and the
spirituality of the metaphors that make up the
logic of a greater metaphor.
When we asked him how this practice impacts his
daily life, he said that it enriches it in many ways,
especially because it improves and deepens his
relation with other people. He feels he has more
direction and is constantly motivated to cultivate
a sense of humility. He learns a lot from other
people’s lives; the interchanges taking place at
each consultation provide him with a great depth
of knowledge. So whenever people come to his
home, he considers this to be a wonderful way of
continuing his own education. Many times he says
that he ends up identifying with the problems of
those persons.
When he speaks about the energy he feels after
every consultation, he sums it up with the
following phrase: “I feel overloaded.” That’s why he
undergoes a cleansing the following day using the
santo’s allegories. There is always something that
radiates and makes its way into his own person.
There’s one detail that must not be left out: he
works with the dead and this is a matter that
always complicates things in the realm of energies.
Our conversation with Mardiel Miranda went on
for a while thanks to his spontaneity and modesty.
Among many curious things, he mentioned the
relationship that is established with a deceased
individual when they enter the land of Ocha. He
revealed to us his opinion of how this deceased
person can too be educated. After talking to him
for around three hours, we left his home full of
controversies and greater knowledge.
Glossary of Terms:
Oriaté
Itá
Diloggún
Elegguá
Oggún
Oyá
Moyugba
Odún or Odu
Osha
Cascarilla
Iré
Osorbo
Ibbos
Oshareo
The person with the greatest knowledge of the oracular system,
who conducts the ceremonies and makes the Itá.
Initiation Oracle. The ceremony where initiates in Regla de Ocha
(Santeria) are told their past, present and future.
Cowrie-shell divination.
Orisha, Lord of paths and destinies.
Warrior Orisha, Lord of paths with Elegguá.
Orisha, ruler of the spirits of the dead.
Prayer, invocation, greeting, praise, petition.
Diloggún which is determined depending on the positions taken
by the thrown shells.
Synonym for orisha.
Finely ground eggshell used as protection against evil.
Represents well-being, the good, future positivity.
Foretells evil, problems, obstacles, illnesses and other negative
events that may happen, including death.
Divining instruments complementing the cowrie-shells.
Asking the Orishas to speak.
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The Sea and Rivers in Cuban
Religious Beliefs
photos by Alex Mene and Ana Lorena
by Ricardo Alberto Pérez
The sea that surrounds us is in many aspects
more than a mere geographical condition for
Cubans. It is an everlasting source that nourishes
and complicates a very important aspect of
subjectivity—one that is connected to beliefs and
to the growth of religious instincts.
So that we may more clearly understand the bond
of what is considered to be sacred on the island
with regards to water, we need to understand some
of the syncretic processes that mark religious
practices in Cuba and which are connected with
that powerful ethnic and cultural cross-breeding
that resulted from the arrival of Africans to provide
slave labor. I will essentially refer to two things
dedicated to the Virgin Mary that are revered by
both Catholic and Yoruba practitioners.
The Patron Saint of Cuba, the spiritual Mother of
all Cubans, Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, came
out from the sea. Her image is indelibly bound
up with that marine force that can be both our
redemption and our destruction. At the beginning
of the 17th century, three men were sailing in the
waters of Nipe Bay searching for salt, when they
saw something floating in the sea. As they drew
near, to their amazement they realized it was a
small sculpture carved in wood, a likeness of the
Virgin Mary with the Infant Jesus in her arms and
a plaque bearing the inscription: “I am the Lady of
Charity.”
The Yoruba people in Cuba transformed the
Catholic Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre into the
orisha Oshún, goddess of sweet waters, fertility
and love. Through her intermediation, water
symbolizes the emotions; water cleanses and
purifies. For that reason, when people undertake
the process of “making the Saint” their first ritual
consists of going to the river to cleanse with
Oshún. In this way, the initiate partakes of the
miracle of becoming clean and clarified. Offerings
of fruit, vegetables, fish and sweets are thrown
into the waters of these rivers.
In the case of Catholicism, the syncretic
relationship establishes Our Lady of Regla as
patroness of sailors and of the picturesque village
of Regla and of Havana Bay. For those who follow
the African religions, she is the orisha Yamayá, lady
of the seas, our Mother-Sea. Legend has it that she
gave birth to the world and all the other santos.
She is also said to be the creator of fish. Believers
try to find her in the crests of the waves as they
are crashing into the reefs along the coastline.
Some of the practices of the Afro-Cuban religions
in Cuba indicate tasks to be performed in both
fresh water (the rivers) and salt waters (the sea).
As a consequence, the embrace between the two
currents becomes inevitable and all these beliefs
are enshrined into a powerful cosmogony.
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Legend tells us that Oshun lost her virginity to save her sister Yemayá. Life surges from the waters and
these are acknowledged to be the prime element used by the santos for healing. It is common for many
Cubans to dip their feet in the waters loaded with symbols while asking for favors and wishes. Others
submerge their bodies in the hope that they will become one with a higher power that will grant them
a less painful existence.
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PAGE 32
Cubanos - Island Portraits
photographs by Lorenzo DeStefano
“As someone born and raised in Hawai’I, I felt an
immediate affinity with the Cuban people and their
island landscape. It was only later that I learned that Cuba
and Hawai’i, while almost 5,000 miles apart, share the same polar
latitude, 21° north of the equator.”
“Moving beyond divisive politics and the limitations of language, these
portraits reflect my ongoing search for moments when the lens reveals people’s
lives and their gaze meets mine.”
Lorenzo DeStefano
began his creative life as a teenage street
photographer in Honolulu, Hawai’i.
A career in the Los Angeles film, television, and
theater industry followed, where he has worked
as a writer, film editor, producer, and director.
A theater-related trip to Cuba in 1993 reawakened
the photographer in DeStefano. This initial
encounter with the island, along with follow-up
journeys in 1996 and 1998, resulted in a touring
collection consisting of hundreds of photographs,
16 of which are being featured in the Museum of
Ventura County exhibition.
Traversing the island’s urban centers as well
as its lesser known rural provinces, the artist
has captured intimate portraits of Cuba and its
people. His work reaffirms our common humanity
by opening windows on everyday life.
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PAGE 33
JUAN DE MATA MONTERO REYES - SANTIAGO DE CUBA, 1993
“One of the closest friendships I formed in Cuba was with Juan de Mata Montero Reyes. Shortly
after we met at the Cabildo Theatre, where he was the longtime lighting designer, I took this
photograph on the roof of his house in Santiago. Juan grew chickens up there to augment the
meagre rations he was always complaining about. Through Juancito, I got a firsthand view of
life in the barrios of Cuba’s second-largest city, where getting by is harder in many ways that it
is in Havana. In 1999, Juan spent a month with me in Los Angeles, cementing a friendship that
is one of the richest I have ever known. He died in 2012. I miss him still.”
ALDO LA ROSALIA - SAN MIGUEL DE BAGÁ, CUBA 1996
“I saw white smoke rising up ahead of me on the Carretera Central Highway. As I often did
every few kilometers, I asked Juan to stop so we could meet this man whose job it was to keep
the grass trimmed. The little gasoline he had on him was not for a mower but to light controlled
burns which he would tend all day. This was his job and he did it with great pride.”
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PAGE 34
FAMILY - LA YAYA, CUBA 1996
“During a 7 day Jeep journey along Cuba’s east coast with my late friend, Juan de Mata Montero
Reyes, we encountered many campesinos, country people, whose ways struck me as often
more relaxed than those of urban dwellers. When the mother of this very large family saw my
camera she ran inside to fetch the photograph of the child. Neither Juan nor I ever figured out
if the baby was asleep, ill, or maybe even dead, resulting in one of those ‘family portraits’ that is
for me as beautiful as it is unsettling.”
BISCHOF & GEMPLÉ FAMILY REUNION – SIERRA DE CUBITAS,
CUBA 1996
“On our way through Camagüey province, Juan and I happened on a reunion of these Cuban
families, descended from early German settlers. They invited these two bedraggled strangers
to share their rum and food. I didn’t photograph anyone at first. Later, when I did, I saw a dignity
in these faces that reminded me of Hawaiians I grew up with, native people whose inner lives
were foreign to me but who, like these Cubans, welcomed me to share some small part of it.”
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PAGE 35
STREET SCENE - EL COBRE, CUBA 1993
“Certain frozen moments are more timeless than others. For me, the near-perfect alignment of
elements in this image takes me right back to that day, that village, that Caribbean brightness
that infuses everything.”
DOMINOES - LA YAYA, CUBA 1996
“My encounters with Cuba and its people are part of my ongoing search for those moments
when lives intersect, where people reveal themselves to each other, personally and through the
lens, and our gazes meet. This backyard game of dominoes played out as serious business and
national ritual at the same time.”
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PAGE 36
From September 3 to 13, 2015, Havana is where it’s at. Under
the slogan “All art at the same time,” more than 1,000 artists—
musicians, singers, theater and dance companies, visual artists—
will be participating at the city’s theaters, plazas, nightclubs,
galleries, museums and all kinds of cultural institutions. With
special performances added to the usual cultural program
in Havana, Habanarte aims to give a true picture of what is
happening in Cuban culture today, from the traditional to the
most innovative and avant-garde.
More information and complete program at http://www.habanarte.com/
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PAGE 37
VISUAL ARTS
Contaminación
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Edificio de Arte Cubano
THROUGH
SEPTEMBER 28
Pintura is the Tomás Sánchez
show including 12 never-before
shown canvases, mainly in large
formats, where he combines
natural landscapes with garbage
dumps. This is a significant
direction taken by this Cuban
painter who has not had a show in
30 years at Bellas Artes.
THROUGH
SEPTEMBER 6
Los
ardientes,
by
Sergio
Hernández, one of the most
important
visual
artists
in
Mexico, reveals his mastery of
painting and the graphic arts,
manifestations he shares with
sculpture, printmaking, ceramics
and drawing, and his taste for
intense colors.
Centro de Desarrollo de las Artes Visuales
SEPTEMBER
11-13
John Cage interpretado. Sound installation by Maikel Rodríguez Ricardo, 2013 Creation
Scholarship Estudio 21.
OPENS
SEPTEMBER 11
Scissors, by Aissa Santiso Camiade, 2013 Creation Scholarship Estudio 21.
THROUGH
SEPTEMBER 15
Paisaje irreverente, group show in which the artists, with a measure of sarcasm, scorn the
stereotypes of “landscapes.”
SEPTEMBER
8-27
Universo ignoto, painting and sculpture by Michel Valdés Meulenert, whose style is figurative
with an impressionistic tendency.
Retozo personal, installation by Emma Palli, in which she experiments with graphic printing
dealing with female sexuality.
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PAGE 38
Galería Collage Habana
SEPTEMBER
5-13
Post-it. Competition and show for
young artists.
Galería Servando
Galería Génesis Miramar
SEPTEMBER
9-OCTOBER 10
Tataranietos de dios, works by
Osvaldo Ferrer Miranda.
THROUGH
SEPTEMBER 9
Galería Habana
SEPTEMBER
Pintura fresca. Group show of
works by Yunier Hernández, Niels
Reyes, Agustín Hernández Carlos,
Frank Martínez, Roldán Lauzán,
Darwin Estacio, Antoine Mena and
Alex Hernández.
Galería La Acacia
THROUGH
SEPTEMBER 28
Presente continuo, group show of
paintings by Aluan Argüelles, Elvis
Céllez, Darwin Estacio, Alejandro
Gómez Cangas, Harol López, Ozy
Milian, Yuri Santana and David
Velázquez.
Galería Miramar
THROUGH
SEPTEMBER 13
Autorreflexión, bu sculptor Alain
Moreira.
Galería Artis 718
Hospederos, show by Serón, made
up by artists Alejandro Pablo
García and Antonio Álvarez.
THROUGH
SEPTEMBER 30
Adrián Fernández:
personal.
solo
show
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PAGE 39
PHOTOGRAPHY
Fototeca de Cuba
THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14
La mujer del siglo XX al siglo XXI, photos by Joaquín Blez, María Eugenia Haya (Marucha) and Enrique Rottenberg,
suggest how the image of women in photography has evolved through time. Joaquín Blez, of the early 20th century,
shows women as sensuous object or in their traditional roles; Marucha shows women “liberated” by the Revolution,
and Enrique Rottenberg documents a postmodern view of women.
SEPTEMBER 11-OCTOBER 11
Candela, by Justine Ford (England), exhibits photographs of impressive landscapes of sugar cane fields in Cuba
which have been set on fire.
Galería La Acacia
Castillo de la Real Fuerza
SEPTEMBER
Échame a mí la culpa, show by
4-OCTOBER 22 artists María Cienfuegos, José M.
OPENS
SEPTEMBER 10
El ingenio, exhibition by Enrique
de la Uz.
Fors, Ernesto Javier, Kadir López
and Lisette Solórzano.
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PAGE 40
DANCE
Photo Alex Mene
Sala Las Carolinas
SEPTEMBER
4-5 / 7 PM
Centro Cultural Bertolt Brecht
Posible e imposible
Danza Teatro Retazos
SEPTEMBER
8-9 / 7 PM
Centro Cultural Bertolt Brecht
SEPTEMBER
4-6 / 7 PM
Teatro Mella
Un beso de mi Habana
Compañía Raíces Profundas
SEPTEMBER
8-9 / 8;30 PM
Sala El Ciervo Encantado
SEPTEMBER
4-6 / 8:30 PM
Compañía Santiago Alfonso
Pabellón Cuba
MalSon
Compañía Danza Abierta
SEPTEMBER 10
/ 6 PM
Teatro Nacional
Compañía Rosario Cárdenas
Sala El Ciervo Encantado
SEPTEMBER 5 / Carmen: Furia de pasión
8:30 PM
flamenco
SEPTEMBER 6 /
Ballet Español de Cuba
5 PM
en
Teatro Nacional
SEPTEMBER
8-9 / 8:30 PM
Noche andaluza
Compañía flamenca Ecos
SEPTEMBER 1112 / 8:30 PM
SEPTEMBER 13
/ 5 PM
Punto ciego
Compañía Rosario Cárdenas
Teatro Mella
La otra rumba de Papá Montero
Compañía de Danza Tradicionales
de Cuba JJ
SEPTEMBER 1112 / 8:30 PM
SEPTEMBER 13
/ 5 PM
Conjunto Folklórico Nacional
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PAGE 41
MUSIC
CONTEMPORARY
FUSION
Los Ángeles
Photo Alex Mene
The contemporary fusion and electronic music
scene has expanded recently as new bars
and clubs have opened party promoters have
organized events in parks and public spaces.
Good live music venues include Bertolt Brecht
(Wed: Interactivo, Sunday: Déjá-vu) and El Sauce
(check out the Sunday afternoon Máquina de la
Melancolía) as well as the newly opened Fábrica
de Arte Cubano which has concerts most nights
Thursday through Sunday as well as impromptu
smaller performances inside.
In Havana’s burgeoning entertainment district
along First Avenue from the Karl Marx theatre to
the aquarium you are spoilt for choice with the
always popular Don Cangreco featuring good live
music (Kelvis Ochoas and David Torrens alternate
Fridays), Las Piedras (insanely busy from 3am) and
El Palio and Melem bar—both featuring different
singers and acts in smaller more intimate venues.
Silvio Rodríguez por los
Barrios
September 10, 7pm
Reparto La Dionisia (Tulipán, Loma, Colón y
39, Municipio Plaza)
Concert by Silvio Rodríguez in the Neighborhoods
with guest musicians Pablo Menéndez and his
band Mezcla.
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PAGE 42
Balneario Universitario El Coral
FRIDAYS &
SATURDAYS
1pm-1am
Submarino Amarillo / 9 pm
Electronic music with rapping,
DJing,
Vjing,
Dj-producers,
breakdancing
and
graffiti
writing, among other urban art
expressions.
Café Concert El Sauce / 5 pm
SEPTEMBER 8
Raúl Paz
SEPTEMBER 11
To Mezclao
Elaín Morales
Tercera y 8
MONDAYS
Baby Lores
SEPTEMBER 4
Gens
SEPTEMBER 5
Coverland
SEPTEMBER 6
Los Kents
SEPTEMBER 7
Miel con Limón
SEPTEMBER 8
Doble A
SEPTEMBER 9
Los Tackson
SEPTEMBER 11
Gens
SEPTEMBER 12
Tierra Santa
SATURDAYS
Vieja Escuela, country, blues &
rock’n’roll
Fresa y Chocolate
11 pm
THURSDAYS
Electronic music
10 pm
Barbaram Pepito’s Bar
THURSDAYS
Habalama
SEPTEMBER 10 Habalama
WEDNESDAYS Qva Libre
THURSDAYS
SEPTEMBER 3
Los Francos
SUNDAYS
Aceituna sin Hueso
7 pm
SUNDAYS
Discoteca Onda Retro
5 pm
Centro Cultural Bertolt Brecht / 11 pm
Havana Hard Rock
EVERY OTHER
FRIDAY
Soul Train, a show of soul music
SAT & SUN
Cover rock bands
SEPTEMBER 3
Tony Ávila
SEPTEMBER 4
Ernesto Blanco
SEPTEMBER 5
David Torrens
SEPTEMBER 6
Kialo
SUNDAYS
SEPTEMBER 8
Brenda Navarrete
5pm
10 pm
Le Select
SEPTEMBER 10 David Blanco
SEPTEMBER 11
Tony Ávila
SEPTEMBER 12
David Torrens
SEPTEMBER 13
Kialo
Los Ángeles
Casa de la Música Habana
TUESDAYS
Kola Loka
5 pm
SATURDAYS
WEDNESDAYS Interactivo
Discotemba
5 pm
Gato Tuerto
SATURDAYS
10 pm
Tenor Bernardo Lichilín and DJ
Eddy Sánchez
SATURDAYS
Gens
Jardines del teatro Mella / 5 pm
Salón Rosado de La Tropical
9 pm
Eddy Escobar
11 pm
DJs
5 pm
FRIDAYS
FRIDAYS
5 pm
Piano bar Habaneciendo
SATURDAYS
Diablo Tun Tun
SEPTEMBER 10 Rap group Conciencia
Electronic music with Sarao,
SEPTEMBER 13
Dúo Jade
SEPTEMBER 17
Kilao
SEPTEMBER 10 Rap group Conciencia
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PAGE 43
Photo by Alex Mene
Photo Alex Mene
SALSA / TIMBA
Casa de la Música de Miramar
MONDAYS
11 pm Havana Show
MONDAYS
11 pm Sur Caribe
TUESDAYS
11 pm Havana Show
TUESDAYS
11 pm Pedrito Calvo
WEDNESDAYS
11 pm NG La Banda
WEDNESDAYS
5 pm Juan Guillermo
THURSDAYS
5 pm NG Pupy y los que Son Son
11 pm NG Charanga Latina
THURSDAYS
5 pm Manolito Simonet
FRIDAYS
11 pm NG La Banda
SUNDAYS
5 pm Bamboleo
FRIDAYS
5 pm NG Tania Pantoja
SATURDAYS
5 pm NG Azúcar Negra
Piano Bar Tun Tun
THURSDAYS
Jardines del 1830
FRIDAYS
11 pm NG La Banda
Azúcar Negra
10 pm
Tercera y 8
Salón Rojo del Hotel Capri
SUNDAYS
WEDNESDAYS Alain Daniel
11 pm Juan Guillermo
11 pm
Café Cantante, Teatro Nacional
Piano Bar Habaneciendo
WEDNESDAYS
SUNDAYS
MONDAYS
5 pm Osaín del Monte
11 pm Cero Copia
FRIDAYS
11 pm Manana Club
11 pm Caribe Girls
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PAGE 44
MUSIC
JAZZ
Jazz Café
Calle 88A No. 306 e/ 3ra y 3ra
A, Miramar. +53 (07) 209-2719
Shows: 10:30pm - 2am
Mellow, sophisticated and freezing due to extreme
air conditioning, the Jazz Café is not only an
excellent place to hear some of Cuba’s top jazz
musicians, but the open-plan design also provides
for a good bar atmosphere if you want to chat.
Less intimate than La Zorra y el Cuervo – located
opposite Melia Cohiba Hotel.
Café Jazz Miramar
Shows: 11 pm - 2am
This new jazz club has quickly established itself as
one of the very best places to hear some of Cuba’s
best musicians jamming. Forget about smoke filled
lounges, this is clean, bright—take the fags outside.
While it is difficult to get the exact schedule and in
any case expect a high level of improvisation when
it is good it is very good. A full house is something
of a mixed house since on occasion you will feel
like holding up your own silence please sign!
Nonetheless it gets the thumbs up from us.
Café Miramar / 9 pm
Jazz Café
WEDNESDAYS Zule Guerra (singer and composer)
SEPTEMBER 3
Emilio Morales and other pianists
SEPTEMBER 4
Havana Jam
SEPTEMBER 6
Grupo Manana
SEPTEMBER 8
Héctor Quintana
SEPTEMBER 30 Zule Guerra (singer & composer)
SEPTEMBER 9
Carlos Millares and salsaphonists
5pm
SEPTEMBER 11
The trumpet in Cuban jazz
SEPTEMBER 13
Rock in jazz with Tesis de Menta
SATURDAYS
César López (saxophonists &
composer) and Habana Ensemble
Asociación Cubana de Derechos de Autor Musical
6 pm
Alexis Bosch (pianist) and Proyecto
Jazz Cubano.
UNEAC
and Blues D´Havana
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Edificio de Arte
Cubano / 9 pm
SEPTEMBER 10 Alejandro Meroño
SEPTEMBER 12
Alejandro Falcón
Hotel Palacio O’Farrill
SEPTEMBER 9
9pm
Zule Guerra (singer and composer)
and Blues D’Havana
Café Concert El Sauce
SEPTEMBER 10 Peña La Esquina del Jazz hosted by
5 pm
and Blues D’Havana
Jardines del teatro Mella
SEPTEMBER 10 Women in jazz
SEPTEMBER 17
9:30pm
showman Bobby Carcassés.
SEPTEMBER 3
8:30pm
Cucurucho Valdés (pianist and
composer)
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PAGE 45
MUSIC BOLERO, FOLKLORE, SON & TROVA
Asociación Yoruba de Cuba
SATURDAYS
Diablo Tun Tun
Los Ibellis (Folkloric group)
4 pm
El Jelengue de Areíto 5
Waldo Mendoza
5pm
Charly Salgado and guests
9 pm
Café Teatro Bertolt Brecht
MONDAYS
Son del Nene
TUESDAYS
Conjunto Chappottín
THURSDAYS
Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez
FRIDAYS
Rumberos de Cuba
SATURDAYS
Explosión Sonera
SUNDAYS
Rumba
SEPTEMBER 26 Rafael Espín and guests
4 pm
Hotel Telégrafo
FRIDAYS
Casa del Alba
SEPTEMBER 4
Hurón Azul, UNEAC
SATURDAYS
Annie Garcés
Trovador Gerardo Alfonso
6 pm
Casa de la Cultura Comunitaria Mirta Aguirre
SEPTEMBER 27 Get-together with trovador Ireno
5 pm
Bolero Night
9 pm
4 pm
SEPTEMBER 18
Ivette Cepeda.
9:30 pm
Eduardo Sosa
8 pm
SEPTEMBER 11
pm
WEDNESDAYS Trova
Café Concert El Sauce
TUESDAYS
Trova
5 pm
Café Cantante, Teatro Nacional
SATURDAYS
THURSDAYS
Pabellón Cuba 4
pm
SEPTEMBER 8
Luna Manzanares
SEPTEMBER 9
Los Papines
FRIDAYS
Peña Tres Tazas with trovador
Silvio Alejandro
García.
Barbaram Pepito’s Bar 5
Café Miramar
SATURDAYS
WEDNESDAYS Revesón, El Poeta del Son
Raúl Torres
AUGUST 8
& 22
4 pm
Casona de Línea
SUNDAYS
Trova
TUESDAYS
5pm
Casa Memorial Salvador Allende
5 pm
Yaima Sáez
Fresa y Chocolate
8 pm
AUGUST 21
pm
SATURDAYS
Get-together La Juntamenta, with
trovador Ángel Quintero.
Trova hosted by Richard Luis and
Eric Méndez
Leo Vera
7pm
Centro Iberoamericano de la Décima
SUNDAYS
5 pm
Yoruba Andabo
SEPTEMBER 5
Duo Ad Libitum
3 pm
SEPTEMBER 27 El Jardín de la Gorda with trovadors
5 pm
from every generation.
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PAGE 46
contents
PAGE 47
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Edificio de Arte Cubano. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
SEPTEMBER 5
7 pm
Concert Acuarela de Brasil, the Móviles wind instrument trio, conducted by bassoonist
Osmany Hernández, and the Amadeo Roldán string quartet, conducted by violinist Leonardo
Pérez, will play popular Brazilian melodies.
Biblioteca Nacional José Martí
SATURDAYS
Concerts by chamber soloists and ensembles.
4 pm
Sala Covarrubias. Teatro Nacional
SEPTEMBER 12
8:30 pm
The Spanish zarzuela La corte de faraón, written by Guillermo Perrín and Miguel de Palacios,
music by Vicente Lleó, by the Teatro Lírico Nacional de Cuba
SEPTEMBER 27 The Symphony Orchestra of the Gran Teatro de la Habana, conducted by Japanese maestro
5 pm
Yoshikazu Fukumura, will play Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 and Dvôrak’s Symphony No. 8.
Casa del ALBA Cultural
SEPTEMBER 13
En Confluencia, conducted by guitarists Eduardo and Galy Martín.
5 pm
SEPTEMBER
20 5 pm
Tarde de Concierto, conducted by soprano Lucy Provedo.
SEPTEMBER 27 Seis por Derecho, dedicated to guitar.
5 pm
Sala Gonzalo Roig. Palacio del Teatro Lírico Nacional / 5 pm
SEPTEMBER 27 Cuerda Dominical, with guitarist Luis Manuel Molina.
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PAGE 48
Iglesia de Paula / Baroque September Concert Season / 7 pm
SEPTEMBER 4
Concert for harpsichord by Professor Stefan Baier (Germany).
SEPTEMBER 5
German and French music for two recorders, performed by Claudia Gerauer (Germany) and
Martina Joos (Switzerland).
SEPTEMBER 11
Soloists from the Ars Longa Early Music Ensemble will play duos for countertenor and
mezzosoprano, and repertoire for soloist instruments.
SEPTEMBER 12
Concert Instrumentos celestes conducted by cellist Alejandro Saúl Martínez, and the
Orquesta Barroca of the National Music School, conducted by violinist Laura Valdés.
SEPTEMBER 18
The Ars Longa Early Music Ensemble will show their vocal and instrumental virtuosity
through the works of 18th-century Italian composers.
SEPTEMBER 19
Concert by Ars Longa Early Music Ensemble musicians who will play German, English and
Italian 17th- and 18th-century compoositions.
SEPTEMBER 23
The Santa Cecilia Wind Quintet, and guest Dúo Cáliz in Alegoría barroca.
SEPTEMBER 24
Fragments of the operas L´Orfeo, Il ritorno de Ulises in patria and L´incoronazione di Poppea,
by Monteverdi.
SEPTEMBER 25
Concert by the Música Eterna Chamber orchestra, conductec by Guido López-Gavilán.
SEPTEMBER 26
Cellist Alejandro Martínez in the Concierto a dos cellos.
Teatro Miramar
SEPTEMBER 25 Ópera de la Calle, or Street Opera, intersting show that presents works from the Cuban and
& 26
international operatic repertoire and contemporary popular music.
8:30 pm
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PAGE 49
THEATRE
Café teatro Bertolt Brecht
Photo Alex Mene
Las mariposas saltan al vacío
Pequeño teatro de La Habana / Production: José Milián
Saturdays and Sundays, 8:30pm
Café teatro Bertolt Brecht
Play written and directed by José Milián, National Theatre Prize-winner in 2008, which deals with AIDS
as a social phenomena. While they get ready for a performance, a group of HIV/AIDS patients who are
locked up in a sanatorium, discuss about life, death and human relations.
Decamerón
Teatro El Público / Production: Carlos Díaz
Fridays & Saturdays 8:30pm; Sundays 5pm
Teatro Trianón
Ni un sí ni un no
Compañía teatral Hubert de Blanck /
Production: Fabricio Hernández
Fridays & Saturdays 8:30pm; Sundays 5pm
Several stories from Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Teatro Hubert de Blanck
Decameron are put onstage with more than a hint
at Cuba today. Those who expect nudity galore
from Carlos Díaz are in for a surprise.
Tartufiando
Comedy by Abelardo Estorino, winner of the
National Literature and Theatre Prize in 1992 and
2002, respectively, a true master of character
study, efficient dialogue and of taking comedy into
the realm of love and death.
Compañía teatral Rita Montaner / Production
Fernando Quiñones, September 4, 5, 11, 12,
8:30pm: Sept 6 & 13, 5pm, Sala El Sótano
Aladino
Anfiteatro de La Haban
August 25 & 26, 9pm
Premiere of Aladino, musical based on Casey
Nicholaw’s Broadway hit, with music by Alan
Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice
and Chad Beguelin. The magical world of the One
Thousand and One Nights enacted with the usual
imagination, good taste and professionalism of
Alfonso Menéndez and his company.
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FOR KIDS
Los mejores momentos de
La Colmenita
Compañía teatral infantil La Colmenita
September 4 & 5, 5pm; Sept 6, 11am
Teatro Lázaro Peña
A selection of passages from well-liked plays
produced by Cuba’s top children’s theater
company.
Ecos del Circuba
September 5, 6, 12 & 13, 3pm & 6pm
Carpa Trompoloco
The best circus acts from the 2015 Circuba Festival.
Oshún y la jicotea
Maniobras Teatro
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 3pm
Teatro de Títeres El Arca
Play based on African-Cuban legends.
Pinocchio
Francisca y la muerte
Adaptation by Armando Morales of Carlo Collodi’s
story of Pinocchio, the little wooden boy whose
nose grew as soon as he told a lie.
Adaptation of the story written by Cuban author
Onelio Jorge Cardoso about the peasant woman
who Death was never able to carry off because she
was always working and could never be found.
Guiñol Nacional de Cuba
September 4, 5pm; Sept 5 & 6, 11am & 5pm
Teatro Nacional de Guiñol
Tocororo Teatro
September 11, 5pm; Sept 12 & 13, 11am & 5pm
Teatro Nacional de Guiñol
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PAGE 51
EVENTS IN HAVANA
Teclas con Paz de Piano
September 4-13
Theaters and cultural centers in Havana
A festival dedicated to piano within popular music.
Teatro Miramar
SEPTEMBER 4
7 pm
An interactive and novel show by
students from art academies.
Teatro Mella
SEPTEMBER 5
8 pm
Launching of the album Piano
charanguero
by
Guillermo
Rubalcaba.
Guests:
Hermes
Manyoma and his band La Ley
(Colombia).
Salón Rosado de La Tropical
SEPTEMBER 6
4 pm
Hermes Manyoma and La Ley
(Colombia)
Delirio Habanero
SEPTEMBER 8
10 pm
Issac Delgado, Alain, Issac Delgado
Jr. (Cuba), Maite Hontelé (Holland)
and Latin show
Teatro Karl Marx
SEPTEMBER 10 Tribute to Omara Portuondo. All
8:30 pm
Star Desde las Raíces
Habana Café
SEPTEMBER 10 Performance by Cuban pianists
12 am
Hotel Panorama
SEPTEMBER 11
Teatro América
Performance by women pianists
SEPTEMBER 13
8 pm
8 pm
Habana Café
Café Miramar
SEPTEMBER 11
2 pm
and guests
Manolito
guests
Simonet
(Cuba)
and
SEPTEMBER 13
11 pm
Concert by Dan Den, Maikel
Blanco, Emilio Morales, Pan Con
Salsa, Dorgeris (Cuba) and guests
Performance by Mariano Morales
(Puerto Rico) and Dino Nugent
(Panama)
Fábrica de Arte
SEPTEMBER 12
12 am
Concert by Issac Delgado Jr. and
Roberto Fonseca (Cuba)
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PAGE 52
EVENTS IN HAVANA
Les Voix Humaines
September 25-October 18
Concert halls in Havana
Organized by composer and guitarist Leo Brouwer, 350 Cuban and international artists will attend the
meeting that will include concerts, exhibitions, lectures on the environment, shows designed for kids,
choral competitions, film series and a book sale.
September 25
6 PM
Coro Entrevoces, conducted by Digna Guerra (Cuba)
9 PM
Coro Entrevoces, conducted by Digna Guerra (Cuba)
TEATRO KARL MARX
9 PM
Take 6 (US)
TEATRO MARTÍ
6 PM
Teatro Lírico Nacional de Cuba
11 AM
En mi país no cae nieve, by the children’s thater company La Colmenita
(Cuba)
MUSEO DE BELLAS
ARTES. EDIFICIO DE
ARTE CUBANO
September 26
September 27
SALA TEATRO DE LA
ORDEN TERCERA, LA
HABANA
contents
PAGE 53
September 30
FÁBRICA DE ARTE
CUBANO
9 PM
Orquesta de Cámara de La Habana, DJoy de Cuba, Rafael Berlanga (electric
guitar), the Amadeo Roldán String Quartet and Cian (Mexico)
MUSEO DE BELLAS
ARTES. EDIFICIO DE
ARTE CUBANO
9 PM
Diana Fuentes (Cuba) and guests
October 1
TEATRO MARTÍ
8:30PM Ensamble Desmarest (France) and countertenor Rodrigo Ferreira (Brazil),
will perform works by John Jenkins, John Blow, Dietrich Buxtehude, H.
Franz von Biber, Johann Christoph Bach, Giovanni Felice Sances and
Biaggio Marini
October 2
PARROQUIA DEL
VEDADO
TEATRO MARTÍ
5 PM
Ensamble Desmarest (France) and countertenor Rodrigo Ferreira (Brazil),
will perform works by Henry Purcell
8:30PM Sytse Buwalda & Asteria Ensemble (Sytse Buwalda, contralto; Saskia
Spinder, guitar, and Ferdinand Binnendijk, mandolin) (Netherlands) will
perform works by Schubert and Mendelssohn
October 3
IGLESIA DEL ESPÍRITU
SANTO
TEATRO MARTÍ
6 PM
Concert dedicated to Laureano Fuentes (1825-1898) and Esteban Salas
(1725-1803), with the performances of the Instituto Superior de Arte
Orchestra, Orquesta de Cámara de La Habana, Trío de Cañas Móviles,
organist Moisés Santiesteban, Orfeón Santiago and soloists Milagros de
los Ángeles, Teresa Janet, Roger Quintana and Eleomar Cuello (Cuba)
8:30PM Miriam Ramos, Ernán López-Nussa, Gastón Joya and Enrique Plá (Cuba)
will pay tribute to Ernesto Lecuona on occasion obn mthe anniversary of
their births.
October 4
SALA IGNACIO
CERVANTES
6 PM
Sopranos Laura Ulloa, Conchita Franqui and Milagros de Los Ángeles,
and bass Marcos Lima (Cuba) will song works by cuban composers José
Mauri, Alejandro García Caturla, Ernesto Lecuona, Ernestina Lecuona,
Gisela Hernández, Olga De Blanck, Rodrigo Prats, Leo Brouwer, Harold
Gramatges, Roberto Valera, Guido López-Gavilán and Beatriz Corona
TEATRO KARL MARX
9 PM
Concert Sinatra Meets Benny Moré, with Augusto Enríquez (Cuba) and
The Back Alley Big Band (Canada)
October 5-7
Alfred Deller In Memoriam Countertenor Competition
CENTRO HISPANO
AMERICANO DE
CULTURA
October 6
MUSEO DE BELLAS
ARTES. EDIFICIO DE
ARTE CUBANO
7 PM
Concert La voces de los griots…, by Ensemble Kayra (Mexico-Senegal),
Daniel Santos Diébaté, Babou Diébaté and guests
7 PM
Award ceremony of the countertenor competition with the performances
Sytse Buwalda, Rodrigo Ferreira, Darryl Taylor and prizewinners
October 7
CENTRO HISPANO
AMERICANO DE
CULTURA
contents
PAGE 54
October 7
MUSEO DE BELLAS
ARTES. EDIFICIO DE
ARTE CUBANO
7 PM
Electro-acoustic and electronic music
October 8
TEATRO MARTÍ
8:30PM Tenor John Potter (UK) and lutenist Ariel Abramovich (Argentina) will play
works by John Dowland, Thomas Campion, Tony Banks and Sting
October 9
TEATRO MARTÍ
8:30PM The German countertenor Andreas Scholl and the Croatian lutenist Edin
Karamazov will perform works by Dowland, Händel, Bach and folk songs
October 9-11
TEATRO NACIONAL.
SALA AVELLANEDA
5 PM
Händel’s opera Alcina performed by soloists, choir and orchestra of the
Teatro Nacional de Cuba
October 10
TEATRO MARTÍ
8:30PM The Camerata Vocale Sine Nomine and trumpet player Yasek Manzano
(Cuba) will be celebrating the Hilliard Ensemble’s 40 years of artistic life
October 11
TEATRO KARL MARX
TEATRO MELLA
11AM
&
5PM
Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf (Act I) and Elpidio Valdés y los Van Van, with
music by Juan Formell, performed by La Colmenita (Cuba)
8:30PM Concert by Dulce Pontes (Portugal) and Ruy López-Nussa (Cuba)
October 12-14
A Capella Voices Competition
MUSEO DE BELLAS
ARTES. EDIFICIO DE
ARTE CUBANO
October 13
9 PM
Jaramar (Mexico) will perform Sephardic, viceroyal and medieval songs.
MUSEO DE BELLAS
ARTES. EDIFICIO DE
ARTE CUBANO
6 PM
Award ceremony of the A Capella Voices Competition
TEATRO MELLA
9 PM
Concert by Badi Assad (Brazil) and Yissy García (Cuba)
TEATRO MELLA
8:30PM Flamenco clásico, by the Spanish Mayte Martin (vocal) and Juan Ramón
TEATRO MELLA
October 14
October 15
Caro (guitar)
October 16
CINE 23 Y 12
TEATRO MELLA
5 PM
Soprano Johana Simón and pianist Marcos Madrigal (Cuba) will perform
music from Edoardo Ponti’s film Voce Umana, and from Francis Poulenc’s
opera La voix humaine.
8:30PM Concert by Vocal Sampling (Cuba)
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PAGE 55
AROUND CUBA
Jornada Pinar Hip-Hop
September 4-6
Pinar del Río
Meetings, concerts and talks on Hip-hop and Rap
with musicians from all around Cuba.
Festival Nacional Metal HG
September 7-20
Holguín
One of a kind in the eastern part of the country,
this festival promotes a space in which different
generations of Cubans, who decades ago defended
a music considered as “resistance music,” can
exchange experiences with more recent bands
under absolute freedom of expression and
aesthetics.
Festival Internacional
Matamoros Son
September 9-13
Santiago de Cuba
A festival in which the best interpreters of son in
Cuba meet. Activitoes include concerts, dances,
lectures and workshop, among others.
contents
PAGE 56
AROUND CUBA
IV Encuentro Amigos del
Jazz
September 24-28
Santiago de Cuba
Important jazz musicians from around Cuba
will participate in concerts, jam sessions and
theoretical meetings.
IV Concurso Internacional
de Fotografía de Naturaleza
September 7-12, Topes de Collantes Protected
Natural Landscape
In an ideal landscape for its rich and unique
biodiversity, exuberant forests, rivers and creeks
with waterfalls and natural pools, participating
photographers will compete in four categories:
Landscape, Flora and Fauna, Man and Nature and
Macro.
www.gaviota-grupo.com
Concurso Internacional de
Danza Atlántico Norte
September 22-30, Teatro Eddy Suñol, Holguín
Organized by the super star of world ballet,
Ucranian Vladimir Malakhov, and sponsored by
the Holguín-based contemporary dance company
Codanza, the competition will invite dancers 18
to 35 years old to compete for the Grand Prix
Vladimir Malakhov for best performance. Other
prizes include the Grand Prix Vladimir Malakhov
for best participating company, the People’s
Choice and the Paul Seaquist Prize, awarded by this
impresario of international dance for scholarships
for summer courses with the Alvin Ailey Company
of Nueva York and the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago.
The Codanza Company will award the Codanza
Grand Prize for choreographers over 18 years old.
contents
PAGE 57
Havana’s best places to eat
La Guarida
El Atelier
5
Bella Ciao
5
Café Bohemia
5
Café Laurent
4+
EXPERIMENTAL FUSION
HOMELY ITALIAN
CAFÉ
SPANISH/MEDITERRANEAN
Interesting décor, interesting
menu.
Great service, good prices. A
real home from home.
Bohemian feel. Great
sandwiches, salads & juices
Attractive penthouse restaurant
with breezy terrace.
Calle 5 e/ Paseo y 2, Vedado
(+53) 7-836-2025
Calle 19 y 72, Playa
(+53) 7-206-1406
Calle San Ignacio #364, Habana
Vieja
Calle M #257, e/ 19 y 21, Vedado
(+53) 7-831-2090
Casa Miglis
El Chanchullero
La California
5
La Casa
5
5
5
CUBAN-CREOLE/INTERNATIONAL
CONTEMPORARY FUSION
SWEDISH-CUBAN FUSION
Beautiful C19 colonial building.
Great fresh pastas.
VIP service. The Robaina family
place. Thurs Sushi night.
Oasis of good food & taste in
Centro Habana
Fabulous value hole in the wall
tapas. Trendy.
Calle Crespo #55 e/ San Lázaro
y Refugio, Centro Habana
(+53) 7-863 7510
Calle 30 #865 e/ 26 y 41, Nuevo
Vedado
(+53) 7-881-7000
Lealtad #120 e/ Ánimas y
Lagunas, Centro Habana
(+53) 7-864-1486
Teniente Rey #457 bajos, Plaza
del Cristo, Habana Vieja
(+53) 7-872-8227
El Cocinero
Corte Príncipe
Il Divino
5
5+
4+
D. Eutimia
5+
INTERNATIONAL
ITALIAN
INTERNATIONAL
CUBAN/CREOLE
Industrial chic alfresco rooftop
with a buzzing atmosphere
Sergio’s place. Simple décor,
spectacular food.
Set in huge gardens outside
town. Great for the kids.
Absolutely charming. Excellent
Cuban/creole food.
Calle 26, e/ 11 y 13, Vedado.
(+53) 7-832-2355
Calle 9na esq. a 74, Miramar
(+53) 5-255-9091
Calle Raquel, #50 e/ Esperanza
y Lindero, Arroyo Naranjo
(+53) 7-643-7734
Callejón del Chorro #60C, Plaza
de la Catedral, Habana Vieja
(+53) 7 861 1332
Habana Mia 7
Iván Chef
La Fontana
4
La Guarida
5+
5
5+
INTERNATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL GOURMET
SPANISH
Consistently good food,
attentive service. Old school.
Justifiably famous. Follow in
the footsteps of Queen of Spain
Endless summer nights.
Excellent food and service.
Brilliantly creative and rich
food.
Calle 46 #305 esq. a 3ra,
Miramar
(+53) 7-202-8337
Concordia #418 e/ Gervasio y
Escobar, Centro Habana
(+53) 7-866-9047
Paseo #7 altos e/ 1ra y 3ra.
Vedado
(+53) 7-830-2287
Aguacate #9 esq. a Chacón,
Habana Vieja
(+53) 7-863-9697
Nautilus
Nazdarovie
El Litoral
5+
5
5+
Nero Di Seppia
5
INTERNATIONAL
FRENCH/MEDITERRANEAN
SOVIET
ITALIAN
Watch the world go by at the
Malecón’s best restaurant.
Imaginative, tasty and
innovative menu.
Well designed Soviet décor,
excellent food & good service.
Malecón #161 e/ K y L, Vedado
(+53) 7-830-2201
Calle 84 #1116 e/ 11 y 13. Playa
(+53) 5-237-3894
Malecon #25, 3rd floor e Prado
y Carcel, Centro Habana
(+53) 7-860-2947
SThe new location for Havana’s
best pizza chef, Walter. Same
food, great locale.
Opera
5
Otra Manera
5
Río Mar
5
Calle 6 #122 e/ 1ra y 3ra,
Miramar
(+53) 5-478-7871
San Cristóbal
5
INTERNATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL
INTERNATIONAL
CUBAN/CREOLE
Homely & intimate
environment. Quality food. By
reservation.
Beautiful modern decor.
Interesting menu and good
service.
Contemporary décor. Great
sea-view. Good food.
Deservedly popular.Consistently
great food. Kitsch décor.
Calle 5ta #204 e/ E y F, Vedado
(+53) 5-263-1632
(+53) 8-31-2255
Calle #35 e/ 20 y 41, Playa.
(+53) 7-203-8315
Ave. 3raA y Final #11, La Puntilla,
Miramar
(+53) 7-209-4838
San Rafael #469 e/ Lealtad y
Campanario, Centro Habana
(+53) 7-860-9109
Santy
Starbien
VIP Havana
304 O’Reilly
5+
5+
5
5
SUSHI/ORIENTAL
SPANISH
INTERNATIONAL
Authentic fisherman’s shack
servicing world-class sushi.
Fabulous food and great service
in the heart of Vedado.
Jordi’s place. Fabulous modern
open-plan space.
Chic, stylish. Superb gin &
tonic. Best in Old Havana.
Calle 240A #3023 esq. a 3ra C,
Jaimanitas
(+53) 5-286-7039
Calle 29 #205 e/ B y C, Vedado
(+53) 7-830-0711
Calle 9na #454 e/ E y F, Vedado
(+53) 7-832-0178
O’Reilly #304‬ e/ Habana y
Aguiar,La Habana Vieja
(+53) 5-264-4725
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PAGE 58
La Guarida
5+
TOP PICK
Style of food
Contemporary fusion
CostExpensive
www.laguarida.com
Type of place Private (Paladar)
Food
Ambience
Service
Value
Best for Authentic, charming and intimate
atmosphere in Cuba’s best known
restaurant. Great food, professional. Classy.
Don’t Miss Uma Thurman, Beyoncé or the
Queen of Spain if they happen to be dining
next to you.
Concordia #418 e/ Gervasio y Escobar, Centro
Habana.
(+53) 7-866-9047
El Litoral
5+
TOP PICK
Style of food
International
CostExpensive
Food
Ambience
Service
Value
Best for Quality décor, good service and
great food. Best new place recently opened.
Don’t Miss Drinking a cocktail at sunset
watching the world go by on the Malecón
Malecón #161 e/ K y L, Vedado.
(+53) 7-830-2201
Nazdarovie
5+
TOP PICK
Style of food
Soviet
CostModerate
Food
Ambience
Service
Value
Best for Getting a flavor of Cuban-Soviet history along with babuska’s traditional dishes
in a classy locale.
Don’t miss Vodka sundowners on the
gorgeous terrace overlooking the malecon.
Malecon #25 3rd floor e/ Prado y Carcel, Centro
Habana
(+53) 7-860-2947
Santy
5+
TOP PICK
Style of food
Sushi
CostModerate
Food
Ambience
Service
Value
Best for Fabulous sushi, wonderful ambience
overlooking fishing boats heading out to sea.
World class.
Don’t miss Getting a reservation here.
Calle 240A #3023 esq. 3raC, Jaimanitas
(+53) 5-286-7039
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PAGE 59
Café Bohemia
5+
TOP PICK
Style of food
Traditional
CostModerate
Food
Ambience
Service
Value
Best for perfect for taking a break from long
walks and seeking shelter from the stifling
Cuban.
Don’t miss location in the cool inner
courtyard of the colonial building.
Ground floor of the Palacio de la Casa del Conde
de Lombillo, Calle San Ignacio #364
Iván Chef Justo
5+
TOP PICK
Style of food
Spanish
CostExpensive
Food
Ambience
Service
Value
Best for Spectacular innovative food. Light
and airy place where it always seems to feel
like Springtime.
Don’t Miss The lightly spiced grilled mahimahi served with organic tomato relish.
Try the suckling pig and stay for the cuatro
leches.
Aguacate #9, Esq. Chacón, Habana Vieja.
(+53) 7-863-9697 / (+53) 5-343-8540
Casa Miglis
5
TOP PICK
Style of food
Swedish-Cuban fusion
CostExpensive
Food
Ambience
Service
Value
Best for The beautifully designed interior,
warm ambience and Miglis’s personality
create the feeling of an oasis in Central
Havana.
Don’t Miss Chatting with Mr Miglis.
The Skaargan prawns, beef Chilli and
lingonberries.
Lealtad #120 e/ Ánimas y Lagunas, Centro Habana
(+53) 7-864-1486
www.casamiglis.com
Habana Mía 7
5
TOP PICK
Style of food
International gourmet
CostModerate
Food
Ambience
Service
Value
Best for Stylish and fresh décor give a
Mediterranean feel for long endless summer
nights. Excellent food and service.
Don’t miss Watching the world go by on the
lovely terrace overlooking the ocean.
Paseo #7 altos e/ 1ra y 3ra, Vedado
(+53) 7-830-2287
www.habanamia7.com
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PAGE 60
La California
5
TOP PICK
Style of food
Cuban-Creole/International
CostModerate
Food
Ambience
Service
Value
Best for Beautiful C19 colonial building.
Popular place with quality food and great
service. Love the fresh pastas.
Dont’t Miss The interesting history of the
neighbourhood, where Chano Pozo (legendary Afro-Cuban jazz percussionist) hung out.
Calle Crespo #55 e/ San Lázaro y Refugio,
Centro Habana
(+53) 7-863-7510
Atelier
5
TOP PICK
Style of food
Experimental fusion
CostExpensive
Food
Ambience
Service
Value
Best for Interesting menu, beautiful building
with great décor and service.
Don’t miss Dinner on the breezy terrace
during summer.
Calle 5ta e/ Paseo y 2, Vedado
(+53) 7-836-2025
[email protected]
La Casa
5
TOP PICK
Style of food
International/sushi
CostExpensive
Food
Ambience
Service
Value
Best for Warm hospitality and openness
from the four generations of the Robaina
family. Quality food.
Don’t miss Thursday night sushi night.
The Piña Colada.
Calle 30 #865 e/ 26 y 41, Nuevo Vedado.
(+53) 7-881-7000
[email protected]
Otramanera
5
TOP PICK
Style of food
International
CostModerate
Food
Ambience
Service
Value
Best for Beautiful modern décor and good
food.
Don’t miss Pork rack of ribs in honey. Sweet
& sour sauce and grilled pineapple
Calle 35 #1810 e/ 20 y 41, Playa
(+53) 7-203-8315
[email protected]
[email protected]
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PAGE 61
Sloppy Joe’s
Havana’s best Bars & Clubs
Traditional Bars
El Floridita
4+
Hemingway’s daiquiri bar.
Touristy but always full of life.
Great cocktails.
Obispo #557 esq. a Monserrate,
Habana Vieja
(+53) 7-867-1299
5
1950s Traditionals
GUEST PERFORMERS INCLUDE
BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB
MEMBERS
Sociedad Rosalía de Castro,
Egido 504 e/ Monte y Dragones,
Old Havana
(+53) 5-270-5271
Sloppy
Joe’s Bar
4+
Cervecería
ANTIGUO ALMACÉN
MADERA Y EL TABACO
Recently (beautifully)
renovated. Full of history.
Popular. Lacks a little ‘grime’.
Ánimas esq. a Zulueta, Habana
Vieja
(+53) 7-866-7157
5+
DE
LA
Microbrewery located
overlooking the restored docks
Simply brilliant.
Avenida del Puerto y San
Ignacio, La Habana Vieja
Contemporary Bars
El Cocinero
5+
Fabulous rooftop setting, great
service, cool vibe.
Calle 26 e/ 11 y 13, Vedado
(+53) 7-832-2355
Espacios
5-
Laid back contemporary bar
with a real buzz in the back
beer-garden.
TaBARish
5
A comfortable place to chat
/ hang out with your friends.
Great service.
Calle 10 #510, e/ 5ta y 31,
Miramar
(next to the Puente de Hierro)
(+53) 5-329-6325
www.facebook.com/fabrica.
deartecubano
(+53) 7-202-9188
Contemporary bars/clubs
Don Cangrejo
4+
Love it/hate it—this is the
oldest Friday night party
place and is still going strong.
Outdoor by the sea.
Ave. 1ra e/ 16 & 18, Miramar
(+53) 7-204-3837
Packed night after night with
a young dressed-up clientele
wanting to party. Don’t go
looking for Buena Vista Social
Club!
5
4
Bohemian attracting a hip
Cuban crowd. Excellent DJ’s
keep the place jumping.
El Gato Tuerto
4+
Late night place to hear
fabulous bolero singers. Can
get smoky.
Calle 17 e/ E y F, Vedado, La
Habana
(+53) 7-832-0433
Up & Down
5
From the team that brought
you Sangri-La. Attracting
a young party crowd, very
popular. Take a coat.
El Tocororo
5
Ave. 21 e/ 36 y 42, Miramar
(+53) 7-264-8343
4+
Expat favorite hangout. Small
indoor bar with live music and
eclectic clientele.
Calle O e/ 17 y 19, Vedado
(+53) 7-833-2224
Sangri-La
For the cool kids. Basement
bar/club which gets packed at
weekends.
Calle 3ra y B, Vedado
Calle 39 esq. 50, Playa
(+53) 5 -294-3572
Other
Sarao’s Bar
Bolabana
5+
X Alfonso’s new cultural center.
Great concerts, funky young
scene.
Calle 20 #503, e/ 5ta y 7ma.
(+53) 7-836-3031
Fábrica
de Arte
Calle 18 e/ 3ra y 5ta, Miramar
Bertolt Brecht
5
Think MTV Unplugged. Hip,
funky and unique with an artsy
Cuban crowd.
Calle 13 e/ I y J, Vedado
(+53) 7-830-1354
Gay-friendly
Cabaret
Las Vegas
4
Can get dark and smoky but
great drag show (11pm) from
Divino—one of Cuba’s most
accomplished drag acts.
Infanta #104 e/ 25 y 27, Vedado.
(+53) 7-870-7939
Humboldt 52
One of the hottest venues
for gay nightlife in Havana at
present.
Humboldt #52 e/ Infanta y
Hospital, Centro Habana.
(+53) 5-330-2989
5
Fashion
Bar Havana
5
A superb example of
queer class meets camp,
accompanied by a fantastic
floor show.
San Juan de Dios, esq. a
Aguacate, Habana Vieja
(+53) 7-867-1676
Café Bar
Madrigal
4
Pop décor, fancy cocktails, and
the staff’s supercilious attitude,
this is a gathering spot for all
types of folks.
Calle 17 #809 e/ 2 y 4, Vedado
(+53) 7-831-2433
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PAGE 62
Bertolt Brecht
5
TOP PICK
CONTEMPORARY BAR/CLUBS
Ambience
Popularity
Entertainment
Service & drinks
Best for Hanging out with hip & funky
Cubans who like their live music.
Don’t Miss Interactivo playing on a
Wednesday evening.
(+53) 7-830-1354
Espacios
5-
TOP PICK
CONTEMPORARY BAR
Ambience
Popularity
Entertainment
Service & drinks
Best for Laid back lounge atmosphere in
the garden area which often has live music.
Good turnover of people.
Don’t Miss Ray Fernandez, Tony Avila, Yasek
Mazano playing live sets in the garden.
Calle 10 #510 e/ 5ta y 31, Miramar
(+53) 7-202-2921
Sangri-La
5+
TOP PICK
CONTEMPORARY BAR/CLUB
Ambience
Popularity
Entertainment
Service & drinks
Best for Hanging out with the cool kids on
the Havana Farundula in the most popular
bar/club.
Don’t Miss The best gin and tonic in Havana.
Ave. 21 e/ 36 y 42, Miramar
(+53) 5-264-8343
Bolabana
5
TOP PICK
CONTEMPORARY
Ambience
Popularity
Entertainment
Service & drinks
Best for Trendy new location near Salón
Rosado de la Tropical
Don’t Miss Hipsters meet the Havana
Farándula
Calle 39 esq. 50, Playa
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PAGE 63
Humboldt 52
5
TOP PICK
GAY FRIENDLY
Ambience
Popularity
Entertainment
Service & drinks
Best for Hot staff, comfortable setting, and
welcoming vibe at Havana’s first full-time,
openly-gay bar
Don’t Miss The disco ball, a talented opera
duo performing Wednesdays and karaoke
and drag performances other days of the
week
Humboldt #52 e/ Infanta y Hospital,
Centro Habana.
(+53) 5-330-2989
Fábrica de Arte
5+
TOP PICK
CONTEMPORARY BAR
Ambience
Popularity
Entertainment
Service & drinks
Best for X Alfonso’s superb new cultural
center has something for everyone
Don’t Miss Ne pas manquer Les meilleurs
musiciens cubains
(next to the Puente de Hierro)
Fashion Bar Havana
5
TOP PICK
GAY-FRIENDLY
Ambience
Popularity
Entertainment
Service & drinks
Best for A superb example of queer class
meets camp, accompanied by a fantastic
floor show.
Don’t Miss The staff performing after 11pm
San Juan de Dios, esq. a Aguacate, Habana Vieja
(+53) 7-867-1676
TaBARish
5
TOP PICK
CONTEMPORARY BAR/CLUB
Ambience
Popularity
Entertainment
Service & drinks
Best for A comfortable place to chat / hang
out with your friends. Great service.
Don’t Miss The homemade Russian soup –
just like Matushka makes it.
Calle 20 #503, e/ 5ta y 7ma.
(+53) 7-202-9188
contents
PAGE 64
Basílica Menor de San Francisco de Asís
Havana’s best live music venues
Concert venues
Karl Marx
Theatre
5
World class musicians perform
prestigious concerts in Cuba’s
best equipped venue.
Calle 1ra esq. a 10, Miramar
(+53) 7-203-0801
Basílica San
Francisco de Asís
5
A truly beautiful church,
which regularly hosts fabulous
classical music concerts.
Fábrica de Arte
5
X Alfonso’s new cultural center.
Great concerts inside (small
and funky) and outside (large
and popular!).
Oficios y Amargura, Plaza de
San Francisco de Asís, Habana
Vieja
Calle 26 e/ 11 y 13, Vedado (next
to the Puente de Hierro)
Jazz Café
Privé Lounge
Sala Covarrubias
5
TEATRO NACIONAL
Recently renovated, one of
Cuba’s most prestigious venues
for a multitude of events.
Paseo y 39, Plaza de la
Revolución.
Jazz
Café Jazz
Miramar
4+
Clean, modern and
atmospheric. Where Cuba’s
best musicians jam and
improvise.
Galerías de Paseo
Ave. 1ra e/ Paseo y A, Vedado
Cine Teatro Miramar
10:30pm – 2am
Ave. 5ta esq. a 94, Miramar
Salsa/Timba
Café Cantante
Mi Habana
4
Attracts the best Cuban
musicians. Recently renovated
with an excellent new sound
system.
Ave. Paseo esq. a 39, Plaza de la
Revolución
(+53) 7-878-4273
Contemporary
Café Teatro
Bertolt Brecht
5
Think MTV Unplugged when
musicians play. Hip, funky and
unique with an artsy Cuban
crowd.
(+53) 7-830-1354
Trova & traditional
Barbaram
Pepito’s Bar
4+
Some of the best Cuban Nueva
Trova musicians perform
in this small and intimate
environment.
Calle 26 esq. a Ave. del
Zoológico. Nuevo Vedado
(+53) 7-881-1808
4
A staple of Havana’s jazz
scene, the best jazz players
perform here. Somewhat cold
atmosphere-wise.
Casa de la
Música
5+
Small and intimate lounge
club with great acoustics and
beautiful decor. Jazz groups
play Sunday night.
Casa de la
Música
CENTRO HABANA
MIRAMAR
A little rough around the edges
but spacious. For better or
worse, this is ground zero for
the best in Cuban salsa.
Smaller and more up-market
than its newer twin in Centro
Habana. An institution in the
Havana salsa scene.
Galiano e/ Neptuno y
Concordia, Centro Habana
(+53) 7-860-8296/4165
Calle 20 esq. a 35, Miramar
(+53) 7-204-0447
Don Cangrejo
4+
Love it/hate it—this is the
oldest Friday night party
place and is still going strong.
Outdoor by the sea.
Ave. 1ra e/ 16 y 18, Miramar
(+53) 7-204-3837
Gato Tuerto
4+
Late night place to hear
fabulous bolero singers. Can
get smoky.
Calle O entre 17 y 19, Vedado
(+53) 7-833-2224
El Sauce
Calle 23 e/ N y O, Vedado
(+53) 7-833-2402
4
5
Ave. 41 esq. a 46, Playa
Times: varies wildly
(+53) 7-203-5322
5-
Ave. 9na #12015 e/ 120 y 130,
Playa
(+53) 7-204-6428
Teatro de
Bellas Artes
4+
Small intimate venue inside
Cuba’s most prestigious arts
museum. Modern.
Trocadero e/ Zulueta y
Monserrate, Habana Vieja.
5
See Buena Vista Social Club
musicians still performing
nightly from 9pm. Touristy but
fabulous.
Zulueta #660 e/ Apodaca y
Gloria, Centro Habana
(+53) 7-861-7761
Salón Rosado
de la Tropical
The legendary beer garden
where Arsenio tore it up. Look
for a salsa/timba gig on a Sat
night and a Sun matinee.
Great outdoor concert venue to
hear the best in contemporary
& Nueva Trova live in concert.
Legendarios
de Guajirito
5
Intimate and atmospheric, this
basement jazz club, which you
enter through a red telephone
box, is Cuba’s most famous.
Calle 88A #306 e/ 3ra y 3raA,
Miramar
(+53) 7-209-2719
4
La Zorra y el
Cuervo
4+
Salón 1930
‘Compay Segundo’
Buena Vista Social Club style
set in the grand Hotel Nacional.
Hotel Nacional
Calle O esq. a 21, Vedado
(+53) 7-835-3896
contents
PAGE 65
Havana’s Best Hotels
Hotel Nacional de Cuba
Simply the best…
Iberostar
Parque Central
5+
Santa Isabel
5+
Luxurious historic mansion
facing Plaza de Armas
Luxury hotel overlooking
Parque Central
5
Beautifully restored colonial
house.
5
Cuban baroque meets modern
minimalist
Obispo #252, esq. a Cuba,
Habana Vieja
(+53) 7-862-4127
Oficios #152 esq. a Amargura,
Habana Vieja
Business Hotels
Meliá Cohíba
Palacio del
Marqués...
5
Oasis of polished marble and
professional calm.
Meliá Habana
5
Attractive design & extensive
facilities.
Ave Paseo e/ 1ra y 3ra, Vedado
(+53) 7- 833-3636
4
A must for Hemingway
aficionados
Mercure Sevilla
4
Bosque
On the banks of the Río
Almendares.
Calle 28-A e/ 49-A y 49-B,
Reparto Kohly, Playa
(+53) 7-204-9232
3
Deauville
Lack of pretension, great
location.
Galiano e/ Sán Lázaro y
Malecón, Centro Habana
(+53) 7-866-8812
4+
Hotel Nacional
3
Saint John’s
H10 Habana
Panorama
4+
Cascades of glass. Good wi-fi.
Modern.
Ave. 3ra. y 70, Miramar
(+53) 7 204-0100
5
Riviera
3
Spectacular views over wavelashed Malecón
Calle O esq. a 21, Vedado
(+53) 7-835 3896
Economical/Budget Hotels
5
Mercaderes #202, esq. a
Lamparilla
(+53) 7-862-9293
Eclectic art-deco architecture.
Gorgeous gardens.
Trocadero #55 entre Prado y
Zulueta, Habana Vieja
(+53) 7-860-8560
Conde de
Villanueva
Delightfully small and intimate.
For cigar lovers.
Oficios #53 esq. a Obrapía,
Habana Vieja
(+53) 7-867-1037
Ave. 5ta. e/ 70 y 72, Miramar
(+53) 7-204-3583
Stunning views from the roof
garden restaurant.
Calle Obispo #153 esq. a
Mercaderes, Habana Vieja
(+53) 7- 860-9529
5+
Immensely charming, great
value.
Occidental
Miramar
5
Malecón esq. a Lealtad, Centro
Habana
(+53) 7-862-8061
Good value, large spacious
modern rooms.
Ave. 3ra y 70, Miramar
(+53) 5-204-8500
For a sense of history
Ambos Mundos
Hostal Valencia
Terral
Wonderful ocean front
location. Newly renovated.
Paseo del Prado #603 esq. a
Dragones, Habana Vieja
(+53) 7-860-8201
Boutique Hotels in Old Havana
Florida
5+
Stunning view from roof-top
pool. Beautiful décor.
Narciso López, Habana Vieja
(+53) 7-860-8201
Neptuno e/ Prado y Zulueta,
Habana Vieja
(+53) 7-860-6627
Saratoga
Paseo y Malecón, Vedado
(+53) 7-836-4051
3
Lively disco, tiny quirky pool.
Popular.
(+53) 7-833-3740
Vedado
3
Good budget option with a bit
of a buzz
(+53) 7-836-4072
contents
PAGE 66
Cañaveral House
Havana’s
best private
places to stay
For Help reserving any Private Accommodation (Casas Particulares) in Cuba please contact
[email protected]
Mid range - Casa Particular (B&B)
1932
Carlos in cuba
4
5
Gay Friendly BED and
Breakfast in Havana
Visually stunning, historically
fascinating. Welcoming.
Calle 2 #505 e/ 23 y 21, Vedado
(+53) 7-833-1329
(+53) 5-295-4893
[email protected]
www.carlosincuba.com
Campanario #63 e/ San Lázaro
y Laguna, Centro Habana
(+53) 7-863-6203
Habana
5
Beautiful colonial townhouse
with great location.
Julio y Elsa
5
Cluttered bohemian feel.
Hospitable.
Calle Habana #209, e/
Empedrado, y Tejadillo, Habana
Vieja.
(+53) 7-861-0253
Consulado #162 e/ Colón y
Trocadero, Centro Habana
(+53) 7-861-8027
Artedel
Hostal Guanabo
Up-scale B&Bs (Boutique hostals)
Cañaveral House
But undoubtedly the most
beautiful about private homes
in Cuba
5 Vitrales
39A street, #4402, between 44
y 46, Playa, La Habana Cuba
(+53) 295-5700
http://www.cubaguesthouse.
com/canaveral.home.
html?lang=en
5
Hospitable, attractive and
reliable boutique B&B with 9
bedrooms.
5+
Ydalgo Martínez Matos’s
spacious and contemporary
3-bedroom penthouse is
magnificent.
Habana #106 e/ Cuarteles y
Chacón, Habana Vieja
(+53) 7-866-2607
5
Beautiful 4 bedroom seafront villa in sleepy Guanabo.
Excellent food.
Calle 480 #1A04 e/ 1ra y 3ra,
Guanabo
(+53) 7-799-0004
Calle I #260 e/ 15 y 17, Vedado
(+53) 5-830-8727
Apartment rentals
Bohemia Boutique
Apartments
5+
5+
Beautifully designed
and spacious 3 bedroom
apartment. Spanish colonial
interiors with cheerful, arty
accents.
Gorgeous 1-bedroom
apartment beautifully
decorated apartment
overlooking Plaza Vieja.
Luxury Houses
5
Rent Room elegant and wellequipped. Beautiful wild
garden and great pool.
Calle 17 #1101 e/ 14 y 16, Vedado
(+34) 677525361
(+53) 7-832-1927
(+53) 5-360-0456
Casablanca
Tropicana
Penthouse
5
5
Morro-Cabaña Park. House #29
(+53) 5-294-5397
www.havanacasablanca.com
Michael
and María Elena
5
Lamparilla #62 altos e/
Mercaderes y San Ignacio,
Habana Vieja
(+53) 5-829-6524
Galiano #60 Penthouse Apt.10
e/ San Lázaro y Trocadero
(+53) 5-254-5240
www.tropicanapenthouse.com
Elegant well-equipped villa
formerly owned by Fulgencio
Batista. Beautiful wild garden.
Suite Havana
Elegant 2-bedroom apartment
in restored colonial building.
Quality loft style décor.
A luxurious penthouse with
huge roof terrace and breathtaking 360 degree views of
Havana and the ocean.
Concordia #151 apto. 8 esq. a
San Nicolás, Centro Habana
(+53) 5-254-5240
www.casaconcordia.net
San Ignacio #364 e/ Muralla
y Teniente Rey, Plaza Vieja
Habana Vieja
(+53) 5- 403-1 568
(+53) 7-836-6567
www.havanabohemia.com
Villasol
Casa Concordia
5
This leafy oasis in western
Havana has an attractive
mosaic tiled pool and three
modern bedrooms.
Calle 66 #4507 e/ 45 y Final,
Playa
(+53) 7-209-0084
Residencia
Mariby
5
A sprawling vanilla-hued
mansion with 6 rooms
decorated with colonial-era
lamps, tiles and Louis XV
furniture
Vedado.
(+53) 5-370-5559
contents
PAGE 67
Artedel Luxury
5+
TOP PICK
3 BEDROOM PENTHOUSE
Facilities
Rooms
Ambience
Value
Best for Stylish and contemporary furniture
along with a beautiful 360-degree view over
Havana
Don’t Miss Ydalgo – an impeccable host,
discreet or gregarious, as you prefer
Calle I #260, e/ 15 and 17, Vedado
(+53) 7-830-8727
Bohemia Blue
5+
TOP PICK
Facilities
Rooms
Ambience
Value
Best for i1 internal balcony, 1 spacious
bedroom on the mezzanine with air
conditioning.
Don’t Miss The apartment is fully furbished,
plenty of light and very well ventilated.
San Ignacio #364 e/ Muralla y Teniente Rey, Plaza
Vieja, Habana Vieja
[email protected]
(+53) 5 4031 568: (53) 7 8366 567
Bohemia Red
5+
TOP PICK
Facilities
Rooms
Ambience
Value
Best for 3 small balconies (facing the Patio
of the Palace), 1 spacious bedroom with air
conditioning
Don’t Miss The apartment is fully furbished,
plenty of light and very well ventilated.
San Ignacio #364 e/ Muralla y Teniente Rey, Plaza
Vieja, Habana Vieja
[email protected]
(+53) 5 4031 568: (53) 7 8366 567
Rosa D’Ortega
5+
TOP PICK
BOUTIQUE VILLA
Facilities
Rooms
Ambience
Value
Best for Large elegant villa away from the
bustle of downtown Havana. Gracious hosts,
beautiful rooms.
Don’t Miss Exploring the off-the-beaten
track neighbourhood.
Patrocinio #252 esq. a Juan Bruno Zayas, 10 de
Octubre
(+53) 7-641-43-29 / (+53) 5-263-3302
http://www.larosadeortega.com
contents
PAGE 68

full events guide

Transcription

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