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| Polymitas cubanas |
I know of a secluded place in the Southwest where spring waters vary from muddy red to an incredible aquamarine. Spirits are said to populate the waterfalls at night, dinosaur petroglyphs adorn smaller canyon walls and the natives might share their mota with you, if you're lucky. The protected pristine environment suffered from tourists, including me.
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| Malecón, Cuba - © Marika Garcia |
I've used that setting in
stories, but tried not to share its location, because my knowledge of the area
is detrimental to the continuation of its ecosystem. It's part of my species'
environmental butt-print--especially of the subspecies Americana--that it leaves all over the planet.
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| Havana at night - © Marika Garcia |
In a posted, bucket list, I included a visit to Cuba, before
my government removes restrictions on traveling there. A visit after that would
be more like standing in the lines of DizzyWorld than some significant
experience. It wouldn't be to go for the sham nostalgic thrill of classic American Cars in Cuba.
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| Havana After the Rain - © Marika Garcia |
Cuba has entered La Bloga writings
for many reasons and many times. In my own, the Chicano fantasy novel The Closet of Discarded Dreams includes
fictionalized characters of Che Guevara and Marilyn Monroe homesteading a 9/11
monument, engaged in a flirtatious relationship. However the two appeared in
the book as it was being written, I hope their roles added delight to the plot.
In my WiP entitled Bruised Hearts, Mended Dreams, a tiny,
fantastical, jungle sprite named Polymito (inspired by the PBS documentary,
below) works alongside young Cuban sculptor Fortunato. The beautiful snail with
wings shoots a love dart into an azteca Tzitzimime, star being named Lechita.
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| Cubana Josefina - © Marika Garcia |
Besides for researching material
for my fiction, Cuba is on my bucket list because of another aspect to its
pristine nature--its cultural exclusion from decades of Americana. (For a peak
at some of its vibrant cultural expressions, see Lydia Gils' post this week on the
Drapetomania exhibit of el Grupo
Antillano--where, as she says, she herself would like to be.)
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| en el Club Galiano - © Marika Garcia |
So. while everyone in the world has "enjoyed" copying American culture, the Cuban economy, people and environment have been
boycotted from doing so by our government. A blessing and a curse.
This April is an historic month on
the Isla. It marks the thirty-third anniversary of the Mariel Boat Lift when
125,000 cubanos fled their homeland and, among other things, added to the
anti-Cuba political bias of Florida and the U.S. electorate. It also
commemorates the fifty-second anniversary of the failed Bay of Pigs, CIA-backed
coup that greatly derailed U.S.-Cuban relations.
Cuba had gained only formal independence
from the U.S. in 1902, as the Republic of Cuba. Under that new constitution,
the U.S. retained the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and supervise its
finances and foreign relations. Like we've done to too many Third World
countries.
Rather than embracing Cuba's liberation from the Mafia, corporate
banana-republic interests and the dictator Batista regime's corruption and
exploitation, the U.S. gov't boycotted our island neighbor for decades.
This contributed to the Cuban people's present poverty and estranged us from them. Again, the blessing-curse.Of coursse, we latinos are no homogenous bunch, the reason that conservative Cuban-Americans who vote Republican have little understanding of why so many Chicanos historically lean toward progressive ideas, such as in the Chicano Movimiento days when Che was one of our heroes.
Che continues as Cuba's second
great national hero, after José Martí, and schoolchildren there begin each day
with, "We will be like Che!" Imagine: a revolutionary for a daily
role model. Throughout Latin America, schools, monuments and museums bear his
name. Guevara has even been sanctified by Bolivian campesinos as a saint. But
he also remains hated by certain Cuban-American exiles. Which brings us to the
present.
I realize the posts below will
contribute in a small way toward more of my subspecies wanting to invade this
Accidental Eden. That's no one's fault; it's the nature of our kind,
possibly the same reason that Global Heating is our way of self-immolating--to
rebalance the planet. I'm as guilty of precipitating that as anyone.
Cuba: The Accidental Eden
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| polymita - do not purchase |
This is the title of a PBS
documentary recently re-aired, with much to teach us about Cuba's international
leadership in (forced) sustainability and ecosystem protection. You can go here to watch the episode. Yes, it will make you want to go to Cuba, if nothing
else, to see the endangered Polymita before they become extinct.
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| Polymita - do not touch |
The Polymita is a genus of large,
air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the
family Helminthoglyptidae, endemic to Cuba and nowhere else. It is also
Nature's Cupid. Polymita creates and uses love darts as part of its mating. The
dart can strongly favor the reproductive outcome for the snail that is able to
lodge a dart in its partner. Sex and love, Cuban-snail-style, naturally.
Inviting La Bloga readers to Cuba, 7/13
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| Babylonia, Cuba - © Marika Garcia |
Arizona author Tom Miller, a regular reader of La
Bloga, has put together a U.S. gov't-approved five-day trip to Cuba. Initially
organized for the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, it has been expanded to
include others who write and promote journalism and literature.
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| El Paseo, Havana - © Marika Garcia |
That’s where La Bloga readers come
in. Tom and AAN put together an informational flyer here.
This is an opportunity to mix with Cuban writers and, not
incidentally, make landfall on the island while los hermanos Castro are still
in charge. After reading the flyer, direct your questions to Tom at
tlmolinero AT msn.com or 520-325-3344.
Tom Miller has written about Latin America and the Southwest
for over thirty years. His adventure books include The Panama Hat Trail about South America, On the Border, an account of travels along the U.S.-Mexico
frontier, Trading With the Enemy
about Cuba travels, and about the Southwest, Revenge of the Saguaro. He's edited compilations, How I Learned English, Travelers’ Tales
Cuba, and Writing on the Edge: A
Borderlands Reader. He has led educational tours through Cuba for the
National Geographic Society and others, is a member of the Thornton Wilder
Society and Cervantes Society of America and a major contributor to the Encyclopedia Latina.
La Noche Cubana - San Antonio
benefit for Bihl Haus Arts
Thurs., April 11, 6-9pm
The Cubans are coming! The Cubans
are coming . . . to Bihl Haus Arts! So, get ready to 'go Cuban' with us at
ICONS, a powerful exhibit of paintings and multiples by Cuban artist Adrian
Rumbaut.
Preview Adrian's one-person show
at La Noche Cubana, on Thursday, April 11, 6-9 pm. This celebration of all things Cuban—art, music, dance,
food, drink, culture—features musical guests Trio Tresero from Austin, world-famous
mojitos and Cuban-inspired delicacies, a silent auction of Cuban-themed items,
and more! Dress is Caribbean casual, 50s Havana, or come as Marilyn Monroe
and/or Ché Guevara (why? see artwork below).
ICONS opens with a free public
reception on Saturday, April 13, 5:30-8:30pm. Music by George Prado and David
Gonzalez, with a special 7pm performance by Jose de Leon who will sing 5
boleros written by Cuban composers. Pool-side salsa dancing from 7:30–8:30 pm.
The evening includes Sangria and Cuban botanas. The exhibit continues through
May 25.
About the Exhibit: The artworks in
ICONS form two bodies of work. The first, Contraparte/Counterpart, explores
“visual duality” through the super-imposition of the symbolic images and iconic
paired portraits of Marilyn Monroe and Ché Guevara, two of the most recognized
and commercialized faces of the 20th century. In this work, Adrian fuses the
pictorial with the graphic by combining painting and fabric design. In each
pair of paintings, the reverse image of the alternate is embedded on the
canvas.
In the second, Diagramas
Pictóricos/Pictorial Diagrams, the artist questions the rules of pictorial
traditions such as composition and equilibrium. In them, iconic portraits of
Marilyn, Ché, Marx, Mickey Mouse, etc., have been cut up and recombined to
create new faces, multiplied images that mimic reality itself.
Adrian Rumbaut will visit
San Antonio during April and May. Adrian’s work was recently featured in the
11th Havana Biennial and in Cuban Art Space (NYC). His work is found among
collections in Cuba, the U.S., Germany, Canada, Spain, United Kingdom and
Portugal, among other countries, and he is the recipient of several notable
prizes and awards. In recognition of Adrian’s artistic achievements and value
to Cuba, the government recently provided a home for his family in a new
development on the outskirts of Cienfuegos. The development consists of small
but durable apartments made completely out of white PVC.
"Tickets, available here
or by calling 210.383.9723, are
$75 advance ($90 at door). (100% of the proceeds benefit Bihl Haus Arts, a
non-profit community art gallery; a portion of the ticket price is tax
deductible). More info here."
There. I've done my Bloga best and worst
to promote more of my subspecies invasion of La Isla. On the positive side,
perhaps it will improve relations between neighboring peoples, help end an insane blockade to peaceful understanding. If you go, leave the Polimitas
alone, even the shells of ones that supposedly died naturally. Cuban children
and the spirit of Che will thank you.
Segundo Sábado - San Antonio, Tex.
featuring Artists Benjamin and
Anna Varela in
Saturday, April 13, 2013
6:00pm – 9:00pm
Married couple Benjamin and Anna Varela join together in their exhibit "Nopalitos, Tostones, Y Cafe" in Gallista's Main Gallery. Opening reception will feature poetry performances in celebration of National Poetry month, hosted by Grand Slam Champions Anthony the Poet and Amanda Flores. Special guest folk musicians "La Chichada" and DJ Roach will add to the celebration. Artist's studios will be open, and Yolanda's cafe will be open.
Benjamin is currently an Adjunct
Professor at South Texas College in McAllen, Texas. He received his M.F.A. From
the University of Texas Pan American. Anna is currently an Art Teacher at
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo-North High School. She received her M.F.A from UT Pan American.
Keystone XL Pipeline Update
Despite its incredible
ramifications on North America's environment and economy, the U.S. State Dept.
has schedule only one public comment
hearing on this pipeline.
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| y más polymitas |
It will be held April 18th in
Grand Island, Nebraska (2.5 hours west of Omaha.) Nebraskan community leaders
whose farms and ranches are threatened by Keystone are asking for help
mobilizing supporters to come to this important hearing and stand with them.
Please come join a BBQ (April 17th), rally (April 18) and more to make your
voice heard at the hearing.
Go here for details. P.S.: Fracking is bad for Polymitas and other livings things.
Es todo, hoy,
RudyG
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