In Camagüey, San Juan's party always returns

Present and past will meet since June 24 in the streets of Camagüey again, when begins the most emblematic popular festivity of the village of Santa María del Puerto del Príncipe.

In the beginning were not more than seasonal monteros parties and “poblanos” that, always aided in the opportune sacred prodigality of the Catholic calendar, began to celebrate in streets and litle squares after the purchases and livestock sales recently put on weight by the waters of May.

The rum and liquor “arrechos”, the beef and the roasted meats, the games of chance, the parties and the careers of horses played by the most audacious, left making more and more daily—and necessary—even for the most rancid families in the aristocracy of Puerto Principe that from beginnings of the XVIII century, began to wait with particular interest the last week of June, more concretely the days that mediated among the 24 and the 25, parties of San Juan and San Pedro, respectively.

For then, to the religious commemorations—imprescindibles in a deeply marked city for the religiosity of the time—it is added the most diverse elements purely, representative of the cultural and ethnic sincretism of the Cuban nation.

Was born this way the San Juan of Camagüey, the most popular emblematic festivity of the formerly village of Santa María del Puerto del Príncipe and today i mentions forced in the personal calendar of villagers and not few strange.

During its six days of parties would go finding its space the walks in decked out coaches, the decoration of whole streets with diverse reasons, the fairs and parties, those covered with a sheet...

Two celebrations would mark, however, in a very special way the festivity of Camagüey. Both, of raigal African essence, would become the San Juan's moments summits soon: the parades of the congas and processions, and San Pedro's funeral.

The first wil be—like today—tinged for the rivalry among the humblest neighborhoods in the village, faced during those days in the music's sands and dance whose colophon arrived with the walks for the main village streets, become in scenarios for the healthiest confrontation and participative of the whole party.

To San Pedro, on the other hand, would play the most cheerful funeral in the history, when each 29 streets and squares were flooded of principeños “compungidos” for their death, symbol also of the end of the celebrations, awaited from that moment—and until the next year —for the villagers, yearners already of the next party.

For that reason, neither the wars and more terrible vicissitudes suffered by this “shepherds' district and hats” could banish to the San Juan of the memory and the life of its people. Certain it is that in ocasions—during periods more or less long—left of taking place, but always, invariably, returned as the good friends or the true traditions. Invariably returned, and returns, with an unshakable certainty, June 24 rain and there is San Juan. (Amaury Valdivia)