Camagüey is a city in which diverse cultures inherited from emigrants from different continents come together. The eclecticism of the city’s architecture, gastronomy, religiosity and various spheres of society are an example of this

Descendant groups abound in the demarcation, especially from regions of Europe, the Middle East and the Caribbean. Through different events and activities, the House of Cultural Diversity, an institution belonging to the Office of the Historian of Camagüey city, represents a space for dialogue, meeting and rapprochement for these groups.

Approximately 14 communities of descendants participate each year in events at the House of Cultural Diversity to keep alive the main customs of their ancestors.

Some communities have even had the opportunity to interact with the ambassadors of the nations of their ancestors. In addition, this institution is the usual venue for artistic, culinary or clothing exhibitions typical of each of the communities.

“We cannot let the legacy of our ancestors die, those who ventured across the sea, traveling to an unknown land to forge their future. We also have a duty to help all those who seek to connect with their roots, to advise them. The work of the House of Diversity has been very important in our desire to bring more descendants together”, says Alina Guillermina Díaz Naranjo, member of the Leonor Pérez Canarian Association.

The descendants of Caribbean peoples will soon have a space for exchange to share the results of research that addresses issues related to the fight against racism, cultural identity, gender issues and the emancipatory movements of Antillean history at the XI José Antonio Aponte Meeting in Memoriam that will take place in Camagüey on May 25th and 26th.

The history of Camagüey, like all of Cuba, cannot be explained without the presence of those adventurers who arrived in these lands and, together with natives and slaves, began to build the identity of the Creole.

Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García