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La Rusa

La Rusa

what was this operatic diva from st petersberg doing in Baracoa? Married to Alberto Mensases Baruch, the turkish jewish diplomat in St Petersberg she was to leave a lasting impression in Baracoa. the Hotel La Rusa was her stomping ground and a small museum dedicated to her memory is nearby, More information from Miguel Angel Castro

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cayamba

Kayamba

In a town where there has always been music, the first of the treseros in the 1890s was from Baracoa, Cayamba occupies a special position..
Even after many years after his death, his presence is felt, especially when you visit the casa de la trova. HIs son, cayambito is also a musician and could be heard at the casa de la trova. For a fuller history, ask Miguel Angel Castro

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Pelu

cursed character, bringing fear to the hearts of children of baracoa and also to the superstitious ones in baracoa who believed that he had special powers. long haired, he cursed baracoa when he left the place, denouncing it to be inhabited by narrow minded people who would amount to nothing. more information from miguel angel castro

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just simply castro

dedicated to my friend miguelito angel castro

World Literature and Music
Some of the best literature in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese come from people once colonized by the metropolitan powers, e.g: V.S.Naipaul from Trinidad was voted the best living writer in the English language, and then there is Doris Lessing ( ex-Rhodesia) and Nadine Gordimer ( South Africa) and many from India and Sri Lanka ( Ondaatje, Carl Muller’s The Jam Fruit Tree about life of Burghers is highly recommended), also Martina van de Wyver ( Afrikaans, South Africa). The list of authors from Ibero-america is very long indeed; Mexico to Argentina; Brasil, Mocambique( Couto: Verando do Frangipani, 1995 Maputo) and Cabo Verde among others.
My favourite latin american writers are, for verse: Alvaro Mutis from Colombia who lives in Mexico City and for poetry, who else but Pablo Neruda, from Chile.
My favourite Cuban writers are Alejo Carpentier: Explosion in the cathedral among his many books and Lezama Lima for his Paradiso.
Ciurrently Cuba has a wealth of writers living in Cuba, some better known than others, such as Miguel Barnet ( Biography of a Runaway Slave, Cancion de Rachel among others) and Pablo Armando Fernandez.
I am interested in the question of Identity expressed in Literature: Rodriguez ( Mexican americans), Muller ( Burghers of Sri Lanka), Naipaul ( East Indians) etc.

World Music: The current popularity of music from Cabo Verde, in Europe as well as USA, is well deserved and certainly Cesaria Evora deserves the reputation. There are many other wonderful musicians from Cabo Verde including Bau, Jovinho dos Santos among others.I like to listen to the music of the countries I visit, but not charmed by the western influenced music of the developing countries whether in Asia or Africa. Cuba has a variety of locally produced and rooted musicians and their music is now becoming available worldwide.
My Brasilian favourites are: Agepe, Fina Estampa by Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, Martinho da Vila.
I am very fond of Tango music from Argentina and it was interesting to listen to Tango in Finland! La Habana sports a Casa de Tango in the old part of the town.