Category: Culture

Out of Many, One: The Outameni Experience

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

My cousin and her husband kept raving about this place he said they knew I would love. But they wouldn’t say what it was or why they were so sure I’d love it.

I was curious.

We loaded up the car and headed north east from Montego Bay towards Trelawny. Once at the sign to the Outameni Experience, we turned off the road.

Sign to Outameni in Trelawny

So this is where we were going!

The Experience starts before you enter

Outameni, the Jamaican lingo for Out of Many (as in Out of Many, One People – the Jamaican motto) is an interactive look back at Jamaica’s history from the time of the indigenous people, the Arawak or Taino, as they’re now called, through the present.

Jars like these were used to keep drinking water cool
Copper pot
Costumed tour guide

Our entertained us with mento dancing and storytelling while we waited for the tour to begin.

Traditional Jamaican house

Each period is represented by its own display with guides in period dress narrating the story of that time.

Taino woman grinding cassava

The Taino arrived in Jamaica around 650 A.D. from South America. They were said to be peaceful people who planted cassava, corn, sweet potato and got most of their food from the sea. When Columbus arrived in 1492, it was the Taino who greeted him. Unfortunately, within a few years of his arrival, the Tainos in Jamaca were exterminated. It is said that some killed themselves rather than be put to work by the Spanish, others died after coming into contact with European diseases for which they had no immunity.

Descendant of Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus and his merry band of sailors stumbled upon Jamaica on May 5, 1494 on his second voyage on behalf of the King of Spain. Thus began the period of Spanish settlements in Jamaica which lasted until the British took over in 1655.

Slave woman about to begin her story

The first Africans in Jamaica came as servants of Spanish settlers. These were freed when the British took over Jamaica in 1655. As sugar production exploded, Africans were again brought to the island, this time to work on the plantations.

Maypole dance pole
The Massa's wife
Our Indian connection

Nearly 40,000 Indians were brought to Jamaica beginning in 1845 as indentured workers to work in the sugar cane industry after slavery was abolished. Many were repatriated but far many remained. Today, their descendants make up the second largest racial group in Jamaica.

The Chinese story

The Chinese began coming to Jamaica in the 1845 to work on sugar cane plantations. Today, they make up the majority of the merchant class.

Present day

The Outameni Experience ends with Jamaica today, a vibrant country that approximately 2 million people – African, Indian, Chinese, Jewish, Lebanese, Scottish, German, Cuban, Haitian, American, Canadian and Latin American – call home.

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Random Havana Photos

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

Yes, I have still more photos. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I took nearly 400 photos in just a week walking around Havana. There was that much to see.

Hotel Inglaterra, Havana
Hotel Inglaterra
Hotel Inglaterra from Parque Central
Hotel Inglaterra, seen from Havana’s Central Park

 

Havana Taxi
Getting around
Coco Taxis

Havana’s Coco taxis an eye catching jolt of color that can’t be ignored.

Monument to Jose Marti in Plaza de la Revolucion
Spanish tiles from the restaurant at the Hotel Ambos Mundos
Statue of St. Francis of Assisi outside the Convento de San Francisco in Old Havana
Ladies in the courtyard outside the Convento
Old Havana Street
Mural in Old Havana

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The Haunting Beauty of Havana’s Buildings

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

Cuba‘s well-known for, among other things, its architecture. However, after 50 years of neglect, many of its now historic buildings are falling apart. Many others struggle to retain their majestic beauty.

Gran Teatro de la Habana
Hotel Inglaterra

I can only imagine how splendid these buildings looked back then.

Hotel Plaza
This building would have looked nicer without the clothes
La Floridita - one of Hemingway's haunts

We should have stopped at La Floridita for a daiquiri, but didn’t.

This could use some work
Bacardi Building

Previously supporters of the revolution, the Bacardi family left Cuba rather than let the regime nationalize their business. Bacardi is now headquartered in Bermuda.

The Bacardi rum is the main ingredient in Cuba Libres and daiquiris.

Convento de San Francisco
Old Havana
Old Havana building
Square in Old Havana
Decaying beauties

The restaurant atop the Hotel Ambos Mundos provides a panoramic view of some of Havana’s decaying buildings.

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Havana’s Art Park

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

I know I’ve had a good vacation when I return home feeling enriched and inspired.

One thing that always inspires me is art and seeing art, especially art that’s accessible to everyone does my heart good. Don’t get me wrong, I love museums and art galleries — they have their place — but I love when there are no barriers to everyday people’s enjoyment of art.

So when we happened upon this park while on our way to the Plaza de la Revolucion, I felt I had hit the jackpot. I think I almost ran across the street to get to it as quickly as I could.

This piece caught my eye first.

Sculpture

Then I saw the front.

Detail
Sculpture 2
Sculpture 3

Now, if I could only take one of them for my backyard.

Sculpture 4
Sculpture 5
Sculpture 6

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Havana: Saying it with Pictures

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

As we meandered around Havana, these are a few of the things we saw.

Sidewalk homage to Ernesto "Che" Guevara
Another sidewalk homage Che
Monument to Che at the Plaza de la Revolucion

A few mornings we walked the Malecon, from Vedado, where we were staying. to Old Havana. We’d always see people sweeping the streets and cleaning up in front of their buildings.

We were impressed by many of the metal gates, fences and window grills we saw.

Impressive gates
Another impressive gate
Medallion from the gate
Gates at the Union of Writers and Artists Building
Sculpture garden at the Union of Writers and Artists building
Sculpture

One of the things that struck us right away was the absence of graffiti and advertising. We did see one or two political signs and lots of signs reminding Cubans not to litter, etc.

I live in a free country

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Havana: Africa Meets Cuba in Regla

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

Following our visit to Callejon de Hamel, we went to the Centro de los Orishas in Regla, a municipality located about a half an hour’s drive from Havana.

The Centro is an open air exhibition space where performances are held. There is a small restaurant as well as a little shop at the back.

The main attraction for us was the sculptural representations to the Santeria gods Eleggua (also Eshu), Obbatala, Yemaya (Yemonja, Iemonja), Chango (also Shango and Sango), Ochun (Oggun), Babalu Aye and Ochosi.

Santeria is derived from the Yoruba religion of West Africa. Followers believe in Olodumare (God) and his manifestations (Orishas) that help them in their daily lives, if they follow the appropriate rituals.

Shango and Ochun (or Oggun)

Shango represents virility, strength and sexuality. His color is red and white.

Ochun (or Oggun) is the god of iron and mineral and anything made of iron or steel.

Yemaya

Yemaya is the queen of the seas. Her colors are blue and white.

Obbatala

Obbatala is the god of peace, the creator of the world and the father of the Orishas. His color is white. As I write this, I’m listening to Bobi Cespedes‘ Rezos. Listen to her tribute to Obatala.

Babalu Aye

Babalu Aye can tell the future. His color is purple.

Eleggua

Eleggua (Eshu) is guardian of crossroads and roads and the protector of travelers. His color are red.

Santeria deities Babalu Aye, Obbatala, Yemaya and Ochun

Listen to one more from Bobi [Ogun].

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Havana: Africa Meets Cuba in Callejon de Hamel

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

When Africans were brought as slaves to the New World, one of the traditions they brought was their religion.

In Cuba, this religious tradition is known as Santeria and it exists side by side with Catholicism. Each Sunday afternoon, Callejon de Hamel, a block-long shrine to Santeria located between Aramburu and Hospital Streets in Havana comes alive with rumba music and dancing.

Callejon de Hamel Mural

Artist, Salvador Gonzalez, whose studio is located in the middle of the Callejon has been creating these artworks, sculptures and murals since the 1990s. Now the entire block is awash in vibrant colors.

Statue from Callejon de Hamel

Callejon de Hamel underscores the significance of Santeria to Cubans.

Statue in Callejon de Hamel
Mural in Callejon de Hamel
Another statue
Callejon doll

This doll was embedded in the ground near the entrance to Callejon de Hamel.

with artist Salvador Gonzalez

A friend who had met Salvador in Havana more than 10 years ago, gushed that I had to meet him. She didn’t know if he’s still be there 10 years later and I didn’t know that Callejon de Hamel was where his studio is located or that he was the artist behind the sculptures I was looking at. But something about the work made me think of him, so I asked and was shown his studio. He wasn’t there. But my friend, Lett and I, hung around admiring his paintings. Luckily, just as we were getting ready to leave, he showed up and graciously agreed to take this photo. Of course, I had to tell him about my friend who had spoken so glowingly about him.

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Havana: These Cars Still Rock!

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

Half of the nearly 400 photos I took in Havana were of buildings, the other half of cars. These are some of my favorites.

Fiat
Havana car

Some were, surprisingly, in very good condition.

White car on Havana Street

I don’t imagine any of the cars being made today will be around 50 years from now.

Yellow Plymouth next to blue telephone kiosk
Light blue car
Green car
Blue

One day, I just stood at this intersection for about 20 minutes and photographed every car that passed by.

Side by side

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How about a braai?

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

About an hour after we left Durban‘s King Shaka Airport, we were at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. Though only a short distance away, it felt like a different world.

As we exited, we noticed Stefan looking anxiously towards the arrivals gate then at his cell phone, as if trying to decide whether to make a call. We shouted his name and he turned and smiled widely. It was wonderful to see his familiar face.

Despite the fun we’d had in Victoria Falls, on safari at Hwange National Park, in Cape Town and Durban, Johannesburg felt as if we were returning home.

As soon as exchanged hugs and settled into the jeep, we – Sandra, Judith and I – began chattering all at once, like giddy teenagers tripping over each others’ words eagerly trying to get the stories of our adventures out to Stefan as quickly as we could.

Stefan had some news of his own. While we were gone, Shepherds Court, the guest house he owns and where we had stayed when we arrived in Johannesburg, had seen a flurry of new arrivals and was fully booked so he decided to put us up for our last night in Joburg at his pool house. He dropped us off then left to do some shopping.

We settled in and made our way to the kitchen of the main house and opened a bottle of Tall Horse, a local wine we had fallen in love with. The door bell rang unexpectedly. It was Thope. She had several bottles of wine with her and told us that Stefan planned to have a braai – a kind of a barbecue – for us before we left. A braai? We were excited!

In our two weeks in Southern Africa, we had not been to a braai. We hadn’t thought about it — it wasn’t even on our must-do list.

Finally, Stefan returned and more friends arrived. The men went about setting up and cooking ribs, pork, beef and boerewors (sausage) while we women remained inside drinking and chatting.

Once everything was ready, we moved outside to the covered porch area where the huge braaier was located and the party began.

We had eaten so much beef in Southern Africa, we’d joked among ourselves that we’d  have to take a vacation from meat when we returned to the States. But what’s a braai without meat? The beef was surprisingly tender and flavorful and hours later, almost all of it had been washed down with several bottles of South African wine.

After the braai
And several bottles of wine
Just before dawn

If we didn’t have plans to go to Soweto later that morning, we would probably still be there, chatting and laughing. We had a fabulous time. It was about 3 a.m. when we finally stumbled into bed on our last night in South Africa.

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What stories do you think your clothes tell?

Posted on by Marcia Mayne

It wasn’t until I was sitting in the dining room of the Beach Hotel on the morning of our last day in Durban that I finally realized what I’d been missing during the two weeks we traveled around South Africa.

SA Jazz singer, Lorraine Klaasen in traditional beaded collar

At a table close to ours, a group of nattily attired women in dresses made from African fabric, sat engaged in lively conversation. In this room of business people, young professionals and tourists, they were beautiful and regal and easy to spot.

Nowhere in our travels had we seen a display such as this. Most of the women we had seen had coats on, the others – hotel employees, etc., wore uniforms.

Years ago on my first trip to Africa, as I waited to change planes at the Leopold Senghor Airport in Dakar, I watched, mesmerized, the Senegalese women dressed in riots of colors and patterns – no two women looking alike.

That’s what I missed, I thought to myself.

To me, more than anything else, seeing women in traditional African dress is an unmistakable statement of cultural reference, connection and identity that always makes me feel proud of my African heritage. I didn’t realize how much until then.

What stories do you think your clothes tell?