Homeland is Made from the Worth of its Sons

 

From a cursory coding of the data (yet years of familiarity with the subject matter), it appears to me that my main thematic category of The Future is often communicated in terms of History. While that sounds ironic on its face, it makes sense that a regime concerned with continuity would appeal to the population of Cuba's future in terms of an allegiance to the past.

A case in point is a billboard that appeared for the "ANIVERSARIO 113 DEL REINICIO DE LA GUERRA DE INDEPENDENCIA". It features a quote from José Martí: "La patria está hecha del mérito de sus hijos". This claims that the nation depends on its offspring, that Cuba's fate is in the hands of youth--yet the dictum about the future ironically hails from over a century prior. The context for Martí's quote was in the 1893 run-up to the "reinitiation" of the failed 10-year independence war (1868-78). The analogy of continuity cannot be missed: the Martí-masterminded War of Independence (1895-98) is to the previous 10-Year War as Cuba's near future is to Cuba's revolutionary history (which entails--at least according to the state--the entire period of struggle from 1868 to 1959). To sum up: 1868 is to 1898, as 1959 is to 2009.

The rest of the quote (which does not appear on the billboard, but may be familiar to many Cubans and thus implicit) says that 'the wealth of a nation derives from a child that beats the same path as his predecessors, leading to a more useful and complete result'. Just as the second generation of independence fighters followed triumphantly in the steps of the first unsuccessful generation, this billboard suggests that today's youth continue the revolutionary path to greater national goals.

It is important to note that the nation does not produce its offspring. Rather, "a nation is made" from the valuable contributions of "sus hijos". Just as Martí and Maceo and Gomez generated the independent nation of Cuba, the current crop of children will make their historic homeland by way of "merit".

Finally, I take a look at the visual graphics of this billboard. It is the figure of a late 19th century Cuban independence fighter on horseback, sword raised. There are three iterations of this image. The smallest and faintest one appears in the bottom left corner. Ascending is a larger and bolder iteration. Then finally the boldest and grandest rendition occupies the central space of the billboard. This image is the graphic representation of early precursors in struggle begetting later generations that ride along the same route, growing stronger and bolder.

From this single example we see how a simple quote and minimalist graphics can conjure history towards impelling the future.

(Of course, it remains to be seen how an outdated screen print of an old quote on an outdated mass medium can reach a 21st century audience. Maybe it could have better "connected" to today's youth by playing with the multiple meanings of the word "reinicio", so as to express something technologically updated while retaining the earlier historical significance--maybe meaning something along the lines of "Reboot the Revolution".)

Back to the Future

 

This not subtle symbolism is a take on the very first poster of the Cuban Revolution.

Loyal to Our History--study, work, rifle

Fieles a Nuestra Historia

This is a mural produced by and in honor of the Union of Young Communists. Its traditional logo depicts three fallen male heroes of Cuban history, Julio Mella, Camilo Cienfuegos and Ernesto Guevara. Besides Fidel Castro and Raul Castro and sports stars, one generally must be deceased to have one’s likeness appear on outdoor propaganda. The motto of the Union of Young Communists is “study, work, rifle”--the three main components of young people’s lives--although many young people neither go to school, nor work, nor participate in the mandatory military.

The large phrase “Loyal to Our History” implicitly creates a historic link between the current day and age and the revolutions of 1959, 1933, 1895 and 1868. The use of the word “fiel” is a synonym, and near homonym, of the word “fidel”, which means loyal or faithful. Obviously, the understanding is being loyal to the historic leadership of Fidel Castro. The use of “our” history reveals that people are progressing together through a shared history, and thus a common modern plight.

Cultural typologies of Cuban youth

Starring (the easy cognates) roqueros and friquis, miquis and punkie, reguetoneros and reparteros.

This cultural distillation is a must read for anyone wanting to identify style types in their natural habitats of house parties, apartment stoops, matinee discos, and the malecon.

Youth Land on Island of Youth

Young Cubans from across the country have gone to Cuba's hurricane-damaged satellite municipality to volunteer in recovery efforts. They are rebuilding domestic tourist infrastructure on exotic black sand beaches and laboring in the agricultural sector for a period of six to twelve months. Similarly, thirty-five hundred volunteers have deployed to Piñar del Rio province to resuscitate the infrastructure of the tobacco industry.

Intensive harvests will be necessary for Cuba to alleviate the food scarcity inflicted by the hurricanes and boost production for export.

Teenagers customarily help out in an annual rite of picking crops for a month or two during the summer. This is a way for them to contribute in exchange for the free education they receive, and an opportunity to get to know another part of their country. Its especially useful for insular urban youth to comprehend the rural nature of a large part of the island.

Sending brigades of younger generations to serve their nation in tackling specific issues is a tradition. The current campaign is reminiscent of the 1961 literacy mission in which 100,000 educated urban teenagers flocked to the countryside and nearly disappeared all illiteracy. That campaign showed the privileged firsthand the impoverish conditions in which the rest of the country lived, making them more amenable to a revolutionary socialist program. It also served to make every citizen capable of reading propaganda.