Invited by the Office of the Conservator of San Juan de los Remedios to participate in an event on the theme of Magical Towns and the possibilities of implementing this program in Cuba, and the presentation of the book "Las Parrandas de Remedios, 200 years of History and Traditions ”, we arrived on the night of the 23rd, amid the din of music that came from a huge audio system, bounced off the walls of the cathedral and flooded every corner, including the beautiful Barcelona hotel, where we were accommodated.
At 6 in the morning, barely half an hour after the music that had lasted all night ceased, the sound of drums, trumpets and the bustle of people led us to the balconies. Quite a surprise, since we had been told that, like the previous year, due to Covid-19, there would be no partying, only some catwalks on both sides.
Hundreds of people, dragged by a small music band, waved the insignia of the "El Carmen" neighborhood and marched through the park and various streets of the city. Immediately, "San Salvador" replied with a similar march.
Nobody summoned them and completely spontaneously, the Remedians could not let their parties go by for the second year in a row. Nobody can with them ...
Two discreet plaza works occupied the spaces where, only two years before, monumental constructions and electrical devices were erected, showing phenomenal plays of lights, in tune with the theme chosen by each neighborhood. In the same way, in the two traditional corners of the park, the final touches were given to two tiny floats that very little recalled those that, huge, showy, full of lights and models, traveled a hundred meters until they were face to face and proudly declare themselves winners of the contest.
But there they were, with the Remedian people celebrating the prelude to what will surely be those of 2022, when the pandemic is totally defeated, they can celebrate in a big way the most creative and indigenous festival of Cuba, the last cultural treasure of our country declared in 2018 Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
In the lobby of the Hotel Bauzá, after the presentation by Reynaldo Mendoza, Director of the Office of the Conservator of Remedies, three works were presented on the theme of the Magical Towns, a successful program that began in Mexico 20 years ago and that fosters the rescue and preservation of autochthonous traditions of more than 130 small towns, encouraging tourism from the already established large nearby cities. This project has been, with local adjustments, replicated by Spain, with its rural towns, and several Latin American countries.
Anamary Hernández, specialist from the Office of the Conservator of Remedies, presented the potential that this city has, comparing the requirements of the Mexican program, and indicated several Cuban cities (Trinidad, Baracoa, Gibara, Viñales, Guanabacoa, Bejucal, Sagua la Grande and Caibarién), as candidates to integrate the list; Duznel Zerquera, Director of the Office of the Conservator of Trinidad, together with the specialist Claudia Guzmán, showed everything that was achieved there, a city that in my opinion should serve as a locomotive when this beautiful project is implemented on the Island; And who describes them, a bit like the devil's advocate, pointed out some of the dangers that may affect the implementation of said project, insisted on the participation of the authorities and local forces for success, showed in images the conditions that a small town of Mexico and the enormous support that Photography can give to its dissemination.
Finally, Sonia Pérez Mojena, President of the National Council for Cultural Heritage emphasized the possibilities of this project for the development and consolidation of these and "Cuban Magical Towns".
In the afternoon, Arnaldo Bastista presented the last number of his "Memories of the City", dedicated to Remedios, the eighth town in Cuba. This excellent publication, now 48 editions, deserves greater dissemination and recognition by all.
Finally, the authors Erick González, Juan Carlos Bello and Julio Larramendi, on behalf of Ediciones Polymita, presented the long-awaited book “Las Parrandas de Remedios. 200 years of history and traditions ”.
It was very emotional and the Remedian people and their revelers were recognized as the main protagonists of the work, the contribution of the National Council for Cultural Heritage and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
Without much time to rest, at nightfall the music began, a very early Misa del Gallo was celebrated and the catwalks of the two neighborhoods, with totally original designs and produced for the occasion. There were no fireworks.
Thousands of people packed all the possible spaces and Remedios had a small version of her Parrandas, because Remedios, without parrandas… it is not Remedios!