This End of the Year in Cuba
HAVANA TIMES – Most families used to spend New Year’s Eve with a pig roasting on a spit, turning over a fire made of charcoal or wood. Others went to the park, where New Year’s Eve dinners were offered—always very expensive. These were attended by people with a lot of money. At midnight, people would throw a bucket of water into the street, symbolically getting rid of the bad, cleaning, discarding what no longer served, and welcoming the new year with fresh, positive energy. This was done by those staying at home.
Those in other places, like the town center, would count down the seconds with an emcee holding a microphone: 12-11-10-9… With a clock in hand confirming it was exactly midnight on December 31.
Then, people hugged, lovers kissed, and everyone joyfully congratulated each other. Not everyone made it to midnight that day!
“May your life’s wishes come true this year!” was a common expression among those who had made it to the date. One of my neighbors followed a specific tradition for those who wanted to travel. Living on an island and wanting to see the world is the most natural thing. It’s almost redundant. My neighbor would grab a suitcase and, exactly at midnight, walk several laps around the block.
Meanwhile, others continued drinking their beers and rum, wishing for the same but perhaps with more tranquility.
These cultural manifestations have dwindled, almost to the point of disappearing. One reason is that thousands of people leave the country daily, and we are far fewer than before. Another is that the crisis has worsened so much—where can you get a pig, a dinner, or anything at all? And for many other reasons—nothing is ever single-factorial, bi-factorial, or even tri-factorial—celebrating in today’s dramatic-tragic Cuban present is somewhat difficult.
“Are you taking the suitcase again?” I asked my neighbor, who used to do it every year. “No, not anymore,” she replied. “I don’t want to leave anymore. You have to work too much, and I just want to live peacefully, enjoying my drinks.”
I smiled.
She answered like that because her brother, sister-in-law, nephew, and others have already left, and thankfully, they help her and her mother survive in Cuban. Besides, she’s the only person who has ever answered me that way: “I don’t want to leave.” In other words, she represents 0.0001% of the population, which in statistical terms is considered a negligible number. In other words, not something to be taken into serious account.
However, those who receive remittances will still celebrate on the 31st and share with less fortunate neighbors. The government will continue offering its New Year’s deals. And a foreigner (not as many as in past years, but there’s always one) will kiss his mulata, saying, “Happy New Year.” Meanwhile, hundreds, thousands, even millions of Cubans will ask each other: “What will happen next?”
Out of solidarity, principles, love, or whatever else, we must still wish each other well—those of us who remain. And to the world, which we also believe needs and deserves peace and joy. Happy New Year to everyone. May we learn how to build happiness for ourselves and for others. Because human happiness cannot exist in isolation. That, that we know for certain now, with all the evidence to prove it. God bless us.