The pilgrimage “In memory”, arose at the initiative of the Office of the Historian of Camagüey city, in 2000. Eleven years after this idea and the celebration of the 507th anniversary of the founding of the former town of Santa María del Puerto of the Prince; This activity is carried out in an atypical way, due to the epidemiological situation that Cuba and the province are experiencing.
It is a commitment for the OHCC to remember, on each anniversary of the town, a group of admirable people who rest in the General Cemetery of the city. Some of their names will be linked forever to the way of living and telling the history of this town since its inception. Among them are: Juan Torres Lasqueti, Gustavo Adolfo Sed Nieves and Elda Esther Cento Gómez.
Others were Office workers who, from their professions, trades, and various talents ennobled the work and with infinite love, in addition to the colossal work still in process: the restoration and conservation of cultural heritage, not only in the city, but in the province.
“In memory” it is a commendable initiative to remember and honor those who worked in the institution while they were alive. Participate in this endeavor: family, friends, OHCC workers, institution officials and the people in general.
Due to the epidemiological situation that the country is going through, the pilgrimage will not be carried out, complying with the measures; but this will not be a reason for each part of the institution to remember and pay tribute to our colleagues.
LIST OF personalities and workers to whom the Office of the Historian pays tribute this year:
1-Juan Torres Lasqueti₊ 1900. No relatives. Historian.
He was born on June 18th, 1816 in Puerto Príncipe. Historian of Camagüey city. Attached to his native soil and a man of forward-thinking. He achieved a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Havana in 1836. From 1844 on he held public positions within the Spanish administration in Cuba; of note are those performed as an officer of the Revenue Administration of Puerto Príncipe, interim controller of said body and Secretary of the Jurisdictional Board of the 1860 Population Census.
From very early on, he wrote newspaper articles and also poetry, mainly on festive themes, published in local newspapers in the second half of the 19th century. He delved into the historical studies of the city, managed to compile valuable documents, including those preserved in the archive of Don Tomás Pío Betancourt.
Nowadays, only one of his works is known “Collection of historical-geographical and statistical data of Puerto Príncipe and its jurisdiction”, which received the Golden Medal and certification of good friend of the country at the 1888 Exhibition and Fair in Puerto Príncipe. He was an active collaborator of the Liberation Army in the city during the independence struggle of 1868, in charge of the reception and circulation of the correspondence of the insurgents, under the pseudonym Grant. He died on April 5th, 1900 in Puerto Príncipe.
LOCATION CRYPT 4 MAIN STREET. 2nd Section.
2- Gustavo Adolfo Sed Nieves ₊ 2/2/2000. Historian.
He was born on August 5th, 1943, he dedicated more than 40 years to studying the History of Camagüey. He was a Member of the Scientific Advisory Council for Historical Research of the Provincial Committee of the PCC, from where he devoted himself to studying and reviewing the main historical events of the city.
He conducted the studies on Ignacio Agramonte, a relevant figure in Camagüey, as an advisor to the local history research teams. He collaborated with the Provincial Historical Archive, where he carried out a meritorious effort for the conservation and restoration of the immense number of documents stored there.
In 1991 he was appointed Principal Specialist in Museology and Historian of the Provincial Management of Heritage, in which he advised the historical investigations of the Technical Team for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments. In 1996 for his prolific work he was awarded the Research Prize of the Ministry of Culture.
He had a valuable and extensive number of documents in his personal archive, donated by historical personalities with whom he was related despite his youth, among them the historian Abel Marrero Campanioni, Lieutenant of Military Health of the Liberation Army in the 1985 War of Independence, the Commander Miguel Varona Guerrero, who was an assistant to the Great General Máximo Gómez Báez, Ernestina Varona y del Castillo, daughter of the notable pedagogue and philosopher from Camagüey Enrique José Varona y de la Pera, and Herminia Agramonte Simoni, daughter of the Major.
He published numerous books, articles, worked on radio programs, gave lectures, seminars, all of a historical nature. He was willing to give his knowledge without expecting anything in return, so he was always surrounded by collaborators and admirers.
Illustrious Son of Camagüey, he was the last historian of the city appointed in 1998. He passed away on February 2nd, 2000, on the anniversary of his beloved city. Every February 2nd, the Management and colleagues from the OHCC, family and friends make a pilgrimage to the Camagüey Necropolis where his remains rest.
LOCATION: OSSUARY OF PRIVATE CRYPT D 4487, 4th Section.
3- Elda Esther Cento Gómez ₊ 10/28/2019. Historian.
She was born in Camagüey in 1952, graduated in Cuban History from the University of Havana, Associate Professor at the University of Camagüey and Associate Researcher at the Nicolás Guillén Center, member of the UNEAC, and the José Martí Cultural Society, she was the main Specialist of Historical investigations of the Office of the Historian Camagüey city, Vice-President of the Union of Historians of Cuba. She received the National History Award in 2015, the Distinction for Cuban Culture, The Utility of Virtue and the Status of Illustrious Daughter of Camagüey. An outstanding researcher and writer, her research works and publications have been dedicated to the history of her native Camagüey and to the life and work of José Martí. She passed away in Havana on October 28th, 2019.
LOCATION: OSSUARY OF STATE CRYPT No 51, MAIN STREET, 4th Section.
4- Leonardo Atencio Torres ₊ 3/27/2004. Restoration driver, he died on the way to the fields of Jimaguayú.
Compliant, willing to work even after hours, concrete mixer driver. He participated in various OHCC construction works. He dies in a work accident on the way to the fields of Jimaguayú.
LOCATION: NICHE 9, drawer 1604, 4th Section
5-Raúl Manzano Candel ₊ 8/25/2011. Commercial restoration.
He worked as a sales agent for the Restoration Company, fully complying with his job. Responsible, disciplined, spared no time or effort to fulfill his duties. Good coworker, always willing to help and collaborate with whoever needed him.
LOCATION: NICHE 24, drawer 201-A, 4th Section
6- Ignacio Feliciano ÁLVAREZ González ₊ 3/29/2011. Driver of the Management of Heritage.
Good worker, responsable, always willing to do any work. With excellent interpersonal relationships. Good natured, a family man.
LOCATION: NICHE 25, drawer 69, 4th Section, South West Square
7- Eduardo Eugenio Sabido Betancourt ₊23 / 12/2014. Restaurant driver.
Driver, unconditional worker, he could be counted on for any task and at any time. A model husband and family man. Good-nature, jovial, friendly, he always lent a hand to his coworkers, sociable. His life was linked to sports, specifically judo.
LOCATION: BLOCK W, GRAVE 44, 4th Section, South West Square.
8-Elpidio Federico Sed Quintana ₊ 5/5/2016. Professor at the School of Trades.
Practical professor of plaster, of the trade school, “Francisco Sánchez Betancourt” of the OHCC. A member of the PCC, loved, admired and respected by his colleagues, students and parents, with magnificent interpersonal relationships, ready to fulfill all the tasks assigned to him, to collaborate and help those who need it. A good husband, a good son, a good father, he managed to educate his children based on love, respect and solidarity, integrated and professional. For his results as a teacher, he held the medal for the “Cuban Distinction.”
LOCATION: CRYPT 209, GRAVE 5, 4th Section.
9-Amado Silveira García ₊ 8/11/2019. Plumber.
Humble, simple, respectful, plumber, knowledgeable about his work. Talkative, sometimes even a joker, ready to do his duty, no matter what time he was called and always with good character and a solution to the problem. Good relations with all his colleagues and office workers. Loving family man and grandfather.
LOCATION: BLOCK U, GRAVE 28, 4th Section.
10 –Roberto Mariano Balmaceda Céspedes ₊ 8/5/2000. Architect.
Outstanding Camagüey architect who loves his profession, with excellent work results, one of the most outstanding and for which he will always be remembered is for his active, enthusiastic and creative participation in the restoration of the park and monument to Major General Ignacio Agramonte y Loynaz . He is remembered for his good human relations with his colleagues in the department and throughout the OHCC. Responsible, simple, modest. Familiy man.
LOCATION: OSSUARY OF LOS CARTEROS, CRYPT 124, 4th Section, Northwest Square.
11-Ashly Tamayo Vázquez ₊ 3/1/2015. Girl from the Harlequin Artistic Group.
Girl member of the Arlequín Artistic Group. She was one of the smallest, pretty, happiest and disciplined in her rehearsals and presentations. She was the partner of Sandor who still remains in the group. She comes from a family that took cared of her and every little detail inherent in dance. The members, teacher and workers of the Management Center will always remember her as the small flower that adorned our garden.
LOCATION: BLOCK U, GRAVE F 2, 4th Section.
Translated by: Aileen Álvarez García
