 The Municipal Museum |
The Directorate of Culture in Manatí, with the support of the provincial instance, develops a plan of activities that reveres being the headquarters of the celebrations for the 64th anniversary of the triumph of the Revolution. The program began last November with the Day of Culture, an event that, as usual, paid homage to Barbarito Diez, dear to Las Tunas.
The municipality has several projects that, during these days of marked significance, resonate with their virtues and achievements, mostly related to the preservation of heritage. Del Caribe Soy y a Manatí Vengo (I am from the Caribbean and I come to Manatí) is one of them -says the director of Culture, Julio Peña Ferrales-, which promotes an event "of great repercussion dedicated to five Caribbean islands and activities on Orlando Canals Street.
"It has a broad popular participation because it rescues Franco-Haitian and Anglophone traditions that are part of the cultural identity of the town, it has multiple actions that involve elements of the culture of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the rest of the islands, which that is shown to the public through music, dance, and poetry.”
Another initiative is Son del Alma (Soul’s Son), aimed at peasant heritage and it is made up of children, improvisers, and “tonadistas.” Diez Versos y una Canción (Ten Verses and a Song) is added, equally focused on those traditions. Both have great popular recognition and have participated in the Cucalambeana Fiesta, details Peña Ferrales. He explains that financing -in freely convertible currency and in national currency- has been approved for these projects that will be launched as of next year.
The municipal programming with a view to the event is focused on community work, something that is part of their daily lives because, despite the shortcomings, they have always maintained the premise of not falling into a kind of cultural blackout. Important protagonists of this work are the youngsters from the José Martí Art Instructors Brigade, who together with the promoters of each zone look for ways to achieve their goals.
"In the act for the First of January, next December 27, all artistic presentations will be from Manatí, the most representative among professionals and amateurs, such as the Relicario duo and the Impacto group, with national categorization in dance.
 Del Caribe Soy y a Manatí Vengo (I am from the Caribbean and I come to Manatí) project |
"There will also be parties with the performance of music groups from Las Tunas. And the Barbarito Diez Music Center will continue with its usual activities," says the manager.
In the maelstrom that encourages the demarcation due to the proximity of the historic day are the construction tasks, which include the painting of the institutions of the sector such as the Gallery, the Library, and the Cultural Center. Likewise, they will repair the roof of the Museum, which for years has been crying out for hands eager to help. After the work there, it is expected to inaugurate an exhibition to reopen its doors to the public.
"Besides all this - illustrates Peña Ferrales - we work on the visual and aesthetic environment of the municipality, for which restoration is carried out at the entrance to the territory, and will be complemented with works by plastic artists.
"At the Cultural Plaza, where the Provincial Act will take place, a pictorial mural is being worked on that reflects the traditions of this land. Its authors are local creators Yariannis Juanes, a professional painter and the gallery director, and Maikel Falcón, an art instructor," the director concludes.