‘Repentismo’ Declared Cultural Patrimony of Cuba

HAVANA TIMES — The art of singing improvised decismas (10-line stanzas), known as “repentismo,” today will be declared intangible cultural heritage of the Cuban nation, as part of the ceremonies marking the 2012 International Cubadisco Music Awards Festival, reports Trabajadores newspaper.

The recognition, organized by the “Ibero-American Center of Decima and Improvised Verse,” will take place during a special baseball game between comedians and repentismo singers at the San Jose de las Lajas Stadium, south of the capital.

This form of improvised oral poetry is part of the identity of campesinos of the island and has captivated the attention and tastes of Cubans throughout the country, both in rural areas and in cities, said the president of the “National Heritage Council.”